The Unknown Warrior
by DragonOpal
Summary: Alexa, a girl from our time, is thrown into the past when Soul Edge attacks her and her family. With help from a few of the Soul Calibur characters and the character of my inventing she must find the warrior inside herself or all will be lost. Fixing...
1. Chapter 1: The Peacemaker's Sword

The Unknown Warrior by DragonOpal :)

Author's note: Hello, reader, I hope you enjoy the story you are about to read, I worked hard on it. I tried my best to add all elements of fiction in this story, so that all types of readers might enjoy it. In this story, I would say, has some humor, fantasy, drama, romance, friendships, general, and lots of adventure. (I'm not so good with humor, but I did my best) I would love reviews (that includes criticisms), please. But, please no rude comments. Thank you. :)

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Soul Calibur characters, Namco Bandai Games Inc. does. I own Alexa and several other OC characters. __Enjoy! :)_

_The life couldn't be any crueler. _

So thought Alexa as her face was plastered on the wall of the hallway. "Next time you stick your nose something where it doesn't belong, we'll break it off." Her aggressors left, leaving Alexa gasping against the wall. Crimson blood flowed for a cut on her forehead, flowed off her forehead and dripped down her nose.

_Well, I guess that what happens when your friend can't keep his mouth shut… Mike is going to owe me big time when this whole thing is blows over. And I can tell that not going to be anytime soon. _

Alexa brushed herself off and headed down the hall to Physics class. She was already late, so she didn't walk in a hurry. Besides, she already knew everything there was to know about the lecture today anyways; they didn't call her a whiz kid for nothing.

_Yeah, some genius I am, apparently I don't have enough smarts to keep myself out of trouble. I'm no genius; I just happen to be lucky enough to have a scientist for a mother and a doctor for a father…uh…this is getting aggravating. O well, I'm sure my troubles will continue at the end of the day, I'll worry about it then._

When the final bell rang, sure enough the guys were shoving Mike around in the hall. Alexa walked over to them, grabbed one of the two boys by the back of his shirt and pulled him away. "What wrong with the lot of you! We're in high school and you two are acting like a bunch of middle schoolers! Knock it off!" The bigger of the two, throw a punch at her and she dodged it, backing up into the lockers. A crowd soon gathered around them, for a fight was surely imminent. The big guy throw another blow at her and she again ducked, but this time Alexa grabbed his arm, twisted it behind his back, and kicked him into his partner, in which, they both went sprawling to the ground. Alexa smiled, "And to think I learned that from a videogame, man, you must be a bunch of sissies if that worked on you." They growled at her, leaping up. Alexa grabbed Mike off the floor and they made a run for it through a gap in the crowd, the two guys at their heels like wild dogs.

After losing the bullies, Mike stopped Alexa before she went home to say something about owing her.

"Yeah, I figured you'd say something like that." Alexa turned to head home.

"Hey, Alexa, have ever considered taking some fighting lessons, like boxing. You where really great back there."

Alexa turned back to Mike, "Nope, why?"

"Why not? It would be so cool if you could, no one would bother us again. You might even be able to teach those guys a lesson."

"I'm not the combating type, I'm not courageous enough. Besides, I can be a bit of a coward sometimes. And I'm proud of it too. I'll live longer that way… Well, anyways, I've got to get home. See you around." Alexa waved and started to jog home. "I don't think you're a coward." She heard him say as she turned a corner.

When she arrived home, Alexa went down to the basement to see what her mother was doing. The basement was where her mother did her many scientific experiments, when she was able to work at home. In the past six months, her mother had been working on a project and tonight her mother was suppose to complete it. Her mother asked her to help, and she was very pleased to, finally getting the chance to put her aptitude to use and to see this experiment.

When Alexa entered the basement, the room was not like it usually was; it was damp and rather spooky. There were no lights, except for one that hung over a table in the middle of the room. All of the furniture was moved to the walls and a large white box stood on the opposite wall. Alexa felt a presence behind her, and she turned around ready to flee, but it was just her mother.

"Mom, you startled me!"

She smiled, "Sorry, honey." Her mother walked pasted her and went over to the box and opened it.

"Honey, could you stand over there please." She pointed over to the head of the table.

"Sure." Alexa did as she was told, excitement in ever inch of her mind. From the box, her mother, then, pulled out something that made Alexa's excitement vanish. Her mother that pulled out a weapon, but not just any weapon, a huge sword. It was hideous, part metal and part tech, a huge electronic eye. But it wasn't the look that unnerved her, but the feeling she got from the sword. It felt unnatural to her. Her mother went to the table and set it gently down, Alexa backed up a little afraid it might jump at her.

"What you think?" Her mother asked smiling. "Its…ugly…" Her mother smiled, "It is at that, but that doesn't matter now does it. Remember, sweet daughter, never judge a book by its cover."

_Sweet daughter? Not that it's a bad thing that my mother called me that, but… something doesn't feel right and when did she start calling me that anyways and why did she have to say it like that. Like there was something else to the words. She is acting very weird. _

Alexa swallowed,

"Mother, what is this thing, anyways?"

"It's a sword, my sweet daughter. In fact, a Peacemaker's Sword."

"A Peacemaker's Sword?"

"Yes, you see…" Her mother pulled something from her pocket and showed it to Alexa. It was a tip of a sword. "Some archeologists found this sword tip in Europe nine months back and a place that was once called, Ostrheinsburg. They sent it to our labs to study and what we found was astounding and our government decided to fund the recreation of the old weapon."

"What was so amazing about this weapon?"

"The piece of the weapon," she again referred to the fragment, "Is immersed in radiation. It's so radioactive that it seems to have the capability to shuck the energy of living things."

"And your HOLDING IT in your hand! With out protection? Mother!"

"It's alright, it weak. It can't hurt anything, besides, it won't hurt me anyways."

"But I always thought you knew it was better safe then sorry."

"I do know, that's why I'm not letting you tough it. Now may I continue?" Alexa nodded. "Our government is planning on using this sword for peace purposes. I'm don't have all the details in their plan, but all I know what it is destined to bring peace to all the world." "And you really believe that bull?" "Yes… besides it told me so."

_Wait a minute, did I just hear my mother say "it told me"?_

Before Alexa could question her mother, she placed the tip of the old sword on the table where the tip of the new weapon was to be. Once done, the tip lit up, red as cherries, and it attached itself to the new weapon. The newly formed weapon seemed to shimmer to life.

"Alright, that seems to be it." Alexa's mother said with satisfaction. "I'll move it tomorrow morning." She moved over to Alexa "I'm going up stairs to make dinner. Could you clean up a little down here for me? O and lets not tell your father about this ok. I want to surprise him."

Before Alexa could have the chance to answer, her mother gone, leaving her with the bizarre weapon. Alexa tensely moved around the room, picking up papers and trash of the floor. After awhile, She suddenly started to feel pulses coming from the Peacemaker's Sword and she could have sworn it was calling her.

_Ok… Alexa relax your just tired… or crazy… either way, this is not happening. Your being paranoid, everything fine. _

But it still didn't matter, she did not like the weapon and the sooner it was out of the house the better. That thing could not be good news.


	2. Chapter 2: Alexa

_Author's note: this next chapter is more of an introduction of Alexa, before the story goes any further; it's a small chapter, but an important chapter if you want to know what Alexa looks like._

When Alexa entered the kitchen, everything seemed rather normal. Her little brother, Alex, sat at the table coloring in his favorite coloring book, grinning happily. Her father, too, was sitting at the table, he held his daily tabloid in his hands, reviewing the days news, and her mother was bent over a pot of stew, her specialty stew it smelt like. There was no indication that the daunting Peacemaker's Sword was down below them. Alexa sighed,

_Maybe it is just me…_

Alexa sat beside her brother, at the table, and tried to look calm and normal. But she couldn't help but glance in the direction of the basement door and at her mother, who was completely unaware of her eyes. She finally got the chance to stop, when her brother offered her a crayon.

_He might be three, but he does know when I'm distraught about something. I guess that just a brother thing._

When diner was ready, the atmosphere of normalcy continue and Alexa soon began to feel better. She soon forgot about the weapon, especially when the normal routine of homework and helping Alex get to bed took place. Alex was in his usual playful mood, running from Alexa when she tried to put his pajamas on him. Alexa just smile, her usual smile, and chased after him, playing alone. Her father final helped Alexa catch him and she left her father to tell the bedtime story for that night. The next thing, was her homework, which her mother helped her, like she always did. Before she knew it, it was time to turn in.

In her room, Alexa pulled out her outfit for the next day, as she usual did before bed; her usual outfit. But, minutes latter, her father knocked on the door and came in. "Hello, father. What do you need?"

"I've got something for you."

Alexa blinked at him, curiously. He pulled from behind him, a nurse's outfit. Alexa sighed, "How did you find out."

"I'm not the only doctor with a kid you know. Everyone at work was buzzing about the Hospital day at your school."

"Dad, those theme days are so stupid."

"I know it would seem that way to you, but give it a try, it might be fun. Something away from the normal, that why they have these theme days at your school. To make things interesting. Come on, you're fifteen, enjoy it while it lasts." Alexa just stared at him. "For me?" He smiled when Alexa rolled her eyes. Alexa final smiled back, "Okay." Alexa took the nurse's outfit and sat it down on her bed. Her father kissed her on the forehead and said, "You won't regret it."

"I know father, but I hate standing out."

"I know you do… you sound so much like your mother." He kissed her again, "Good night."

"Good night, dad."

Once Alexa tried on the outfit, she thought,

_The outfit fits flawlessly._

She looked at herself up and down in the mirror with it on, studying how her blond, bob cut hair, and greenish blue eyes looked against the white nurse's outfit. Alexa was very tall for her age; Alexa also noted how skinny she was, no muscles whatsoever. (That's all thanks to her mother's vegetable diet that she forced the whole family into.) Alexa went over to her closet and added a few other things to the outfit, including some silver leggings, some white gloves, white boots, and a choker to add some flair. Then, Alexa picked her favorite oval glasses, and became satisfied with her look. For once, she was a little existed about a theme day.

_Maybe this will be fun. Tomorrow might actual be an existing day._

However, below her feet, two floors down, the Peacemaker's Sword stirred with anger.


	3. Chapter 3: Afternoon Nightmare

Author's note: In this chapter the story really picks up. I hope I'm not rushing to fast into things. I'd like to take this time to thank you, reader, for taking the time to read my story. I am very honored to know that people are at least giving it a try. Reviews would be great, please fill free and I would like some criticism; I'm doing this story to get better at telling a story. So please fill free to rip my story to pieces, and tell me all my faults. I can take it. Thanks.

That night, Alexa's dreams were haunted by images of the so-called Peacemaker's Sword: horrible, atrocious dreams. She dreamed about herself holding the sword, and liking it. It made her feel authoritative and in control everything around her. In the dream, she saw Mike and the fear in his eyes, the fear in everyone's eyes and this fear was because of her. Looking down at her hands, she saw the blood, and in her right hand, she clinched the sword. Alexa tried to let it go, but she couldn't. Then, the person inside her, a person who didn't belong there, laughed and prized her pain, while inside herself she screamed for an end.

Alexa woke in a cold sweat, her muscles in her legs and arms tight from intense stress. After many moments of staring at the ceiling, she got the courage to get out of bed and dress; her legs trembling as she did so. When she got down stairs to have breakfast, her mother was helping Alex get ready to go to daycare.

She looked up at Alexa when she came down and smile. "Good morning, sleepy head, nice of you to join us. Did the alarm clock not work again? You're a bit late getting down here. I had to start getting your brother ready, without you."

After a pause Alexa squeaked, "Sorry."

Her mother looked at her, "Are you alright? You don't sound to well." She walked over to her and placed a hand on her forehead.

"I'm fine… bad night."

Her mother hugged her then. "O… I hate those kinds of nights. What was it, where you unable to get any sleep?"

Alexa wandered what she should tell her mother. She couldn't tell her all the details of the dream, she would seem crazy, and Alexa had no interest in conversing about the details anyways.

"I… just… had a bad dream, that's all."

"Do you need to talk about it?"

"Not really... I'd rather not talk about it."

"That's alright, nightmares are nightmares. They are not physical things, so the cannot hurt you. They can make nights very unpleasant sometimes, but they cannot hurt you physically. There is no need to worry too much about them. And thank our lucky stars for that too. I remember that I had some of the most awful nightmares that would have surly would have been the end of me if they were real." Alexa smiled at her mother, she felt a little better know. For she was right, nightmares were nightmares.

_And that is all they are._

On the bus ride to school, she pushed her ghastly dream to the back of her mind and focused on the school day ahead. She had already gotten two comments about her outfit and she couldn't wait to see the look on Mike's face and of the others. Alexa might have spent most of her life in books, but she still sought the endorsement of her fellow students, like any normal girl at her age would. By the end of the day, Alexa was the happiest she had ever been, it seemed that nothing would go wrong to spoil her day.

When Alexa returned home, the house was deadly quit. All the curtains and shutters that where normal open where closed and there was no lights coming from inside.

_Maybe mom went out. _

Instead of going through the front door, Alexa thought it best to go around to the back. She wanted to check the carport. When she got to the carport, her mother's car was in it, along with her fathers'. Alexa blinked in surprise, for her father was never home this early.

_If mom and dad are home, why are all the lights off?_

Alexa vigilantly moved around the house and made her way to the kitchen door. The door was unlocked and she stepped inside the shadowed kitchen. "Mom. Dad." She called as she shut the door. "Mom, Dad are you home?"

_Hmm… I can't comprehend why they aren't here. _

As Alexa carefully moved across the kitchen to find the light switch, she found herself tripping over something and she landed flat on the ground. Rolling her eyes, she got back up and finally reached opposite wall with the light switch. Alexa found it, and switched on the light with relief. Once on, Alexa looked over in the direction of where she had fallen.

Alexa dropped her stuff with total shock and horror at the sight in front of her. Her father was laying on the ground in a puddle of blood face down, in the direction of the door.

Alexa ran to him, "Dad! Dad! Are you all right! DAD!"

She knelt beside him and turned him over on his back. Quickly, she checked his pulse, with dire dread. His heart still beat, but only just. She ran to the phone and dialed 911 but there was no dial tone, no nothing.

In panic, she ran to the other room, stumbling over chairs and tables as she rummaged around in the dark. She couldn't find any of the other phones; they weren't where they were supposed to be.

Alexa gave up the search and ran back into the kitchen and went for the door, hoping that the next-door neighbors where home. But before she even got close, the lights flickered out. Alexa froze in terror as something grabbed her by the back of her neck. The hand squeezed tightly and she was picked up and hurled through the kitchen wall. Landing on her back, Alexa struggled to get up, but found that a foot pushing her down and held her down by the neck. She tried kicking her attacker, but couldn't reach whomever it was, so Alexa began to fling her arms around, screaming.

"Who are you? What do you want? HELP! HELP, I'M BEING ATTACKED!"

While struggling, Alexa hit her hand on something solid; she seized it, and smacked her attacker with it, the attacker gasped surprised and fell back. Now freed, Alexa jumped up, hit her attacker again, yelling at him or her, then she ran to the wall, and felt for the switch. She found it and turned the lights on, to see her attacker more clearly, and prepared to eather run or fight.

"Mom!" There her mother stood, her posture very different and she looked at Alexa with the most crazed eyes Alexa had ever seen. In her right hand was the Peacemaker's Sword, but it had changed. It was all red, with pulsing veins and a huge moving eye. The weapon, suddenly, caught on fire and it stared at her hungrily. The whole sword seemed to pulse with such wickedness it almost made Alexa fall to her knees. It got miserably hot to the point that Alexa thought she was going to be cooked alive.

"Mother" Alexa said in a pathetic whimper, "Mom, what is going on?" As if in response, her mother snarled like a wild animal and charged at her, the evil sword pointed at Alexa. Alexa cried out, one last time, to her mother before being forced to dodge out of the way. The sword came inches away from slicing her, but instead it sliced into wall and disintegrated it.

Dodging sudden attacks, Alexa fled to the upstairs rooms, trying to reason with her mother, along the way. But there was no reasoning with her. She, soon, found herself trapped in her brother's room, where she couldn't escape. She shut the door behind her and barricaded the door with her brother's toy box and doll cabinet. Now under her brother's bed, she began to pray that that was enough.

But it wasn't. There was a long silence, where only Alexa's breath could be heard, and then... bang, bang, bang. The wall, box, and cabinet soon collapsed and her mother stepped into the room, her eyes glowing purple and she held the sword with a firm grip.

"You shouldn't have denied me." She said with a voice that wasn't hers', "You would have been my next pet, but instead I have to settle with your dear mother. I will not have another one defie me and live." She came at Alexa and raised the sword, "Good bye, sweet daughter." Alexa closed her eyes and began to cry as she waited for the sword to smash through the bed and then through her, she thought of her father and brother and prayed for their safety, and she prayed for her mother as the sword came down.

But nothing happened. Anxiously, she looked up. She saw her mother still standing there, but the sword was on the ground and she held her right hand as if in pain, her eyes flashed down at her hand and her face was livid. Behind her, a crystal sword that shined a blueish white light, floated there. It's brilliant light shined brighter than the evil sword's and the evil sword stared at it with such hatred it was a wonder why the crystal sword wasn't eaten up by it. Alexa felt the pure energy that radiated off it and the power that it had.

Instinctively, Alexa scrambled out from under the bed and grabbed the crystal sword, while her mother picked up the evil sword and struck out at her. Holding the crystal sword with her right hand, Alexa attempt to use it to block the evil sword, but she wasn't fast enough. So instead, she ended up grabbing the evil sword with her left, as it came toured her.

Alexa expected pain to shot up her arm from impact of grabbing such a fast moving object, but there was no pain. In fact, when Alexa grabbed the sword, it instantly stopped. Alexa looked up at what was once her mother, she had stopped too, in mid air. Before she could observe anything else, the air around her began to move and soon she felt herself being picked up by an unknown force. From surprise, she dropped the two swords and the crystal sword began to spin around in a protective spin. Her mother soon disappeared, along with the rest of the room and she found herself floating in a mass of spinning lights and wind that blow around her. The evil sword, now free from Alexa's mother's grip, flew at her. The crystal sword swiftly collided into it and knocked it away. Then the two swords began to spin around Alexa, one trying to kill her and the other protecting her. The both grew brighter with each spin, and she was forced to close her eyes. And then she suddenly got the sensation of falling and falling fast. Alexa dared to open her eyes again and regretted it when she did. Alarm and dismay hit her as she realized she was falling from the shy. The sun was at her feet and above her were dark clouds, she was falling headfirst into. Alexa wanted to scream, but she felt her hopelessness drain her energy.

_Screaming couldn't help me, anyways. Nothing can._

As Alexa fell, a little white light came zooming from the clouds, expanded and then surrounded her, just as she reached the clouds and she blacked out.


	4. Chapter 4: Wake Up Call

Author's note: Hey, hope you are enjoying this story. Tell me if you are ok... Please.

Alexa woke, startled, as she felt something poke at her back. She sat up, spitting dirt from her mouth and brushed the dirt from her face. A bird, that had settled itself on her back, flew away into the trees squawking in protect at her for disturbing it. Alexa picked up her glasses and cleaned the dirt from them. Once she put them on, she observed her surroundings. She was in a clearing, in some sort of lush forest that was surrounded by big, green mountains that towered over the forest.

_I'm defiantly not in North Dakota anymore. Where am I?_

Alexa looked closely at the trees in an attempt to learn where she was (for Alexa had learned all the trees in the United States, which was required in an advanced Environmental Studies class), but her attempt made her dizzy. The world around her spun and she allowed herself to fall back on the soft dirt. She laid there for several minutes, letting her mind rest, and then finally she sat back up and tried again. Her attempt was pointless, though, for she didn't recognize any of the trees around her.

_O god, tell me that this is all just a dream! I don't even know what happened back there! O, I hope father ok. And what happened to Alex? What became of mother? Huh… what is going on? What am I going to do? I don't even know where I am!_

She sighed; she was too tired to care, anymore. Alexa laid back down and yawned.

_Maybe everything will be normal again if I get some sleep; _Was her last thought before the darkness of sleep tock her.

Suddenly, she heard a rustle and was snapped awake by a warm hand toughing her shoulder. She sat up quickly and backed away from the hand, until a tree cornered her. The young man before her was tall and looked about seventeen, with wild blond short hair, green eyes, and light skin. He wore a dark brown headband, yellowish white spaulders, yellowish white chain mail, green blue training shirt, white yellow gloves, dark blue leather paints, and white yellow greaves. He said something to her, but Alexa couldn't understand for he spoke a foreign tongue. When she didn't respond he said, "You alright?" Alexa nodded, nervously. He smiled at her warmly, happy that she understood.

_Who is this? What does it matter, he seems alright, maybe he can help me? What's up with his funny looking cloths?_

"Hum?" Alexa began, "Am I near some sort of Renaissance Festival?" Alexa glanced down at his clothing. The young man looked at her, totally confused. "Sorry, know little English." He said, shrugging his shoulders. Alexa sighed, "Yeah, I can tell…" She paused for a moment, and then asked, "Do you know enough English to tell me where I am?" (In foreign language)"You are in Germany." Alexa blinked at him stupidly. "O… sorry, you in Germany." Alexa laughed, "GERMANY! Yeah right!" She laughed a little longer, "That a good one, but seriously where am I? I need to know." The young man frowned, "I thought I said… I say it wrong? You be in Germany. Understand?" Alexa looked at him long and hard, studying his face, before asking, " Your serious, aren't you?" Alexa growled with frustration when he didn't answer. "No way, that not possible! One cannot show up in a place where one was almost half a world away, less then two or three hours ago! It illogical! Tell me how that's possible?" The young man only stared at her dumb founded; he understood little of what she just said. "Fine, don't say anything! I don't want you to say anything!" The young man didn't like her tone and growled back, "You are rude, mädchen!" He began to walk off. "Oh yeah, well you're useless!" Alexa began to stand, but when she put pressure on her left leg pain shot up into her body and she fell back down with a cry. The young man turned as Alexa fell and watched as she gripped her leg in agonized pain. "Dein bein!" He came back and knelt beside her to examine her leg. "You injured." He said.

"No duh, what was your first inkling."

"I help." He replied, ignoring Alexa's attitude.

"I can take care of myself." He huffed in disbelief and rolled his eyes. "Bußgeld." He smiled and began to walk away again; Alexa looked down at the ground and enored him. The young man soon disappeared behind the trees and fear over tock Alexa's pride. "Hey! You can't just leave me here! Please, help me! HEY! I'm sorry, ok!" From behind the trees, the young man returned and leaned against a tree, shaking his head. He smiled at her; a smile that seemed to laugh at her and Alexa blushed red.

_He just total made a fool out of me! How dare he! Who does he think he is?_

(In German)" Don't worry, I understand that you are just scared." He sauntered over to her and offered her his hand. (In German)" Here, take my hand" Alexa didn't need to know German to know what he wanted and she tock it, without complaint. He, carefully, helped her up, swinging her arm around his neck and suported her weight as they began to walk.

"Me... name is Sigmund." He said.

Alexa looked at the kind face of this person and realizing he truly only wanted to help

"Mine's Alexa. Thank you for your help, Sigmund."

Sigmund nodded, smiling, "Gern geschehen. (You are welcome.)"


	5. Chapter 5: Friends

Author's note: Now I would like to take this time to send out a big thanks to Nezumimaru, for his idea for an OC character (Imp). Awesome character.

Review, Please!I have know way of knowing if, you the reader, are enjoying the story or a just being nice by clicking on it, until you review it. Thanks to all those who have reviewed and thanks to those who are reading my story, it's very much appreciated. Ok, I'll shut up and let you read now.

One hour later...

The village, Sigmund took her too, was small, about four or five businesses existed, and it was very primitive. There was no sign of anything electric as far as the eye could see; no telephone lines, no cables, and defiantly no cellphone or tv towers. The whole place looked like it was pulled out of the late sixteenth, early seventeenth century. The buildings where great evidence of this. They were mostly made of wood, no steel or fiberglass was visible, and were built in a basic design, nothing fancy. The road, they walked, was poor, dusty, rocky, and utterly unfit for vehicles to drive on it.

_I wouldn't even ride a cart on this road._

The village was just outside the forest and was nestled between two gorgeous mountains, which made the area a very natural place, that was undisturbed by human influences, besides the village and road. A hawk flew over the village and a group of deer grazed by a building, which gave testimony to how natural the place was.

Sigmund helped Alexa down the road and into a rather rundown inn. The sign over the entryway was decayed and the only word you could make out was 'inn'. The floor beneath them was also decomposed and there was no door or anything for the doorway. The room, too, was in total chaos. It wasn't a very big room. When they entered, Alexa looked to her left, where the people would sit, and investigated the mess before her. There was only five tables and three chairs for each table, which was about all the room could handle before becoming over crowded, and they were very unorganized. Several of the chairs were knocked over and most had a missing leg or legs, like one chair that had no legs, whatsoever. The tables where very The room was moderately empty, except for someone who was sitting in the corner table. He wore a black cloak, which concealed him well; Alexa couldn't make out anything about the person. Alexa scanned him, but didn't give him another glance as her attention turned to the right. There was a bar, which was littered with broken glass and wood chips. To the side, was a wooden door that, Alexa guessed, leaded to the back where they kept supplies and the rooms were people slept.

Sigmund took a quick look around and then called, "Imp!"

They heard a crash from under the bar and a fairly tall man stood up. He was thin, like Sigmund, but not as muscular. He looked older than Sigmund too, about eighteen, with short untidy hair that was either a very dark brown or an ordinary black. He wore a training shirt that was green along with; black paints with gold dragons on them, red belt, and a red scarf.

Imp leaned on the bar and gave us a broad smile "Hey there, Sig, Whko du da? (Who you got there?)"

Sigmund answered back in German, while he helped Alexa sit down on a decent chair by the bar.

"(In German) Your new girlfriend?" Imp said with a sly grin.

"(In German) You can be a pig once in a while, Imp. Besides, can't you tell she not old enough to be my girlfriend."

"(In German) Lighten up Sig, I was just joking."

Alexa knew that they were talking about her and she became very annoyed by the fact she couldn't understand what they were saying eather. Alexa glared at Sigmund, to remind him she was still there and was waiting for him to speak to her. He felt her gaze and turned to her,

"O… this be my friend, Imp." Imp nodded to her, "Hello."

"Hi", Alexa nodded back, not sure what else to do.

Sigmund asked something in German again and Imp sighed, "She is in the back, where else. But I'd be careful, she is in a right foul mood, sehr schlecht gelaunt (very foul mood.)"

Sigmund nodded understanding, "I be back." He said, then leaving Alexa with Imp. Imp grabbed a bottle and started playing with it, tossing it up in the air and attempting to balance it on his finger with no success.

"Soooooo… I suppose you' aren't for around here, are you? I mean, you don't look like it, anyways." Alexa said, trying to break the awkward silence.

"Yep, I am originally from the British Empire. But when my parents died I found myself living here."

"Uhm..."

_Who calls England the British Empire anymore? Apparently, this guy does._

"Well, I'm from the U.S… North Dakota to be exact."

Imp raised his eyebrows at her. "Never heard of the place. That place in Asia or something? You don't look like an Asian."

Alexa's mouth dropped, "You never heard of the United States?"

"Nope." He tossed the bottle up really high and caught it with his other hand.

"You know, America… Red, white, and blue is the colors of our flag… and our national bird is the eagle."

Imp shrugged, "Sorry, still don't know what you're taking about, but I don't know the names of most countries, so don't feel bad. I find learning about other countries very boring."

Alex sighed.

_Well, I suppose statically someone is bound to not hear about the America. But…_

From behind the door, Alexa could hear arguing voices, which spoke really fast in German. One of the voices was Sigmund, but the other was a women's.

_Finally, he is back. Maybe I'll finally get some answers out of him._

Alexa cleaned her glasses, quickly, as the voices got closer to the door.

Beside her, Imp sighed, "I knew she'd be mad…well, this is no fun, I think I'll stay out of this one." Imp returned to his prior hideout under the bar as the door swung sharply open and a young woman came swiftly through, fallowed by Sigmund. She was fairly tall, thin, and muscular, like Sigmund, and she had the same blond hair {only longer}, green eyes, and skin tone. She basically looked like a female version of Sigmund. The woman wore a black and white parlor blouse, black and white frilled skirt, white headdress, chocker, and straw sandals. She also had bandages around her arms and legs, which had some bloodstains. She turned to Alexa, her eyes flashed in the candlelight of the room.

"Who are you?"

"O… I'm, uhmmmm…"

The woman marched over to her and stood in front, glaring down at her. "What is wrong? Can you not speak?"

"(In German) Sister, can't you see she just a child?"

"Das sehe ich! (I can see that!) But you should no better than to bring a stranger from the forest here. What if she is involved with the Azure Knight? What if she is one of his slaves?"

_Huh? Knight…Azure…slave? What?_

"Was it not just yesterday that we heard Soul Edge was in the area!"

_Soul Edge! I've heard that name in my dream, before I was awaken by Sigmund. It was whispered to me, along with another name. Soul Calibur, I do believe it was. _

"Why do you think everyone has cleared out of here? Bruder, hast du durcheinander gebracht! (Brother, you have messed up!) Big time!"

_Nothing makes sense anymore. I'm so confused!_

"Madam" Alexa said, fighting to keep her voice strait. "Uhm… I'm not sure what's going on, but to an answer to your question, I'm Alexa and I'm just a fifteen year old girl who would like to go home and leave all of this craziness behind…" Alexa's thoughts turned to her family. "And find out if my family is alright…" Tears began to form in her eyes and She began to shake, overwhelmed by everything. "I don't know what's going on! I don't know where I am or how I got here. I'm not even sure about the when, anymore! This is going to sound crazy…maybe I am crazy, but it's like I am no longer in the twenty first century. I know what a knight is, but… but I didn't know that they were still around. And what is this… Azure Knight? I've never heard of such a thing. And thrust me, I make a habit to know everything." Alexa fought the tears, but one escaped and fell from her cheek. "Some good that's done me…" Alexa tock her glasses off and rubbed her eyes, trying to get control of her emotions, again. The young woman expressions soften after she studied Alexa for a long while. "I see the truth in you, child. I apologize if I frightened you." Alexa looked up at her, "Who are you?"

"My name is Rosamond. I'm Sigmund's twin sister."

_Twin! I should have guessed._

Sigmund said something to Rosamond and she bent down to inspect Alexa's leg. "Your leg has been severely twisted, but it will heal in several day's time." She stood back up, "Don't worry, we will help you, Alexa. You have nothing to fear. But first, if you are well enough, we wish to hear your story. From your story, I hope, will better help me understand your situation."

Alexa nodded, thought for a moment, and then began her story.


	6. Chapter 6: Potential Enemy

Author's note: Uh, sorry about the wait, thank you for your patience. So here is chapter six, enjoy.

Alexa ended her story and a long silence fallowed, the only sound that was made, was the tapping noise Rosamond made with her fingernail on the tabletop of the table they had gathered around. The silence was so prolonged that Alexa soon became uncomfortable. Imp was the first one to break the silence; he busted out laughing and said, "Wow, that was the best story I ever heard!"

"It wasn't a story, it really happened! And why are you laughing, it's not funny!"

"I didn't say that it did. But man what an awesome adventure you're having right now! How I wouldn't give to have an adventure right now."

"I wouldn't say that it was awesome, I'd would rather call it completely and utterly horrible!"

"You wouldn't say that if you were stuck here in this rundown, smelly, old, peace of crap of an inn…"

Sigmund interrupted in his usual German, "This place wouldn't be so bad if you actual attempted to do some work."

"Work is for losers, besides I have better things to do."

"Like what?"

"Both of you shut up. I'm trying to think." Rosamond snapped in German and they fell silent.

Rosamond sighed and pored herself more tea from the broken teapot, then she pored more into Alexa's cup, even though Alexa hadn't even touched it. "Could you tell us again what the sword, that saved your life, looked like?"

"Well, it shined a blueish white and it was made out of a whole bunch of crystals. And I remember, in it's center was a perfectly round crystal that seemed to be were most of the radioactivity… sorry, energy came from."

Rosamond frowned, thinking. "And you said that the other sword reacted to it? In a way a violent way?"

"Yes, and also… I can't believe I'm about to say this, but the evil sword reviled the sword that saved me. I know that sounds crazy, but I swear that what I felt from it."

"It not so crazy." Said Sigmund, and Rosamond and Imp nodded in agreement.

"He is right, it's not crazy, in fact, we know about the sword that you speak of." Rosamond leaned on the table. "The sword, is called Soul Edge and it is the weapon that the Azure Knight wield and. What you described to us is nothing new. We have heard of the sword itself having emotions either enjoyment or hatred, from survivors."

_Soul Edge, there that name again… wait, survivors?_

"Survivors of what?"

Imp cleared his throat and said, "Let just say these are dark times."

Rosamond rolled her eyes, "(In German to Imp)stop trying to scare her, she scared enough as it is!" "What he is trying to say is that Soul Edge has become a reason for people to fear for their life. The Azure Knight would pick a village and then him and his slaves would go in and destroy the village. Almost no one survives…" Rosamond trailed off and Sigmund looked down. "(In German)O, yeah that a whole lot better, now she really going to be scared." Imp said with a hint of humor in his voice.

"So… uhm… What century is this, again, because I'm pretty sure I'm not in the twenty first century anymore?" Alexa said, trying to get them of the uncomfortable subject.

"I think, the scholars maintain that this is the seventeenth century."

Alexa put her face in her hands, leaned against the table, and whispered, "But how? How did I end up so far back in time? Is this even possible?"

"I don't know, but one thing is clear, Soul Edge and the other sword must be involved." Rosamond said, thinking harder still.

"The question is, what is the other sword?" Imp said, "For I've never heard of a crystal sword before. Nevertheless, one that Soul Edge, itself, despises."

"You right, the… crystel sword… unknown…" "Sigmund speak in German, please I'm having a hard time understanding you when you try to speak English." Imp laughed when Sigmund gave him a dirty look. Rosamond growled, "Please ignore them, they do this all of the time. Imp, shut up and Sigmund, uh never mind; you're just hopeless anyways."

There was a hiatus that fallowed where Imp stood up to stretch and Rosamond went to back to get some bandages for Alexa's leg. Sigmund smiled at Alexa and asked, "You alright?"

Alexa forced a smile back, "I will be fine, I think, thanks."

Sigmund nodded with sympathetic, "Do not worry… you return home safely… me see to it." Alexa couldn't help but to be glad he was there. Even though she had only known him for two hours, she felt attached to him and she knew she could trusted him. Rosamond returned with the bandages and began wrapping her leg. "Sorry if this hurts, but I've got to make it good and tight."

"Do you know what wrong with my leg?"

"Well, I don't think it's broken, you just twisted it severely, that's all."

"You make it sound like it's no big deal."

"Well, just be thankful you're not going to lose your leg."

"O, you have a point there…"

When she was finished she surged it so it wouldn't slip off and she sat back down in the same chair in front of Alexa.

"I just thought of something." She said, "I've been thinking about this sword that apposed Soul Edge and I just had a thought on this. You said that the Soul Edge acted like it hated this sword and that the sword had the same energy level of Soul Edge, however this energy is more good then Soul Edge, more pure, am I correct?" Alexa nodded, a tad weary of all the inquiries.

"Is it possible."

"Is what possible?" Imp asked, getting interested. He sat back down, ears open, just like the rest of us.

"Is it possible that Soul Edge had an opposite, a sword that might achievable be a threat to it? It sounds possible, but it can't be possible. If it were, Soul Edge would have been destroyed by now. But it has to be true, it's the only explanation..."

"O Rosamond that's just you hope talking," Imp interrupted, "As much as I would love it to be true, there is no such thing and you know it."

"That is not so, there is such a thing."

Alexa, Sigmund, and Imp nearly fell out of their chairs, surprised by the sort of deep, heavy English voice that came from a woman. Rosamond face hardened and she smirked unsurprised. Rosamond breathed in deeply and said, "I was wondering if you where ever going to speak or just sit there quietly and take as much information as you could from our mouths. Did you think that you could wonder our village grabbing at what little information you could like a little rat without anyone noticing?" Rosamond stood and turned around, and everyone fallowed her gaze to the corner table.

O, I had forgotten he…rather she was there. O no she heard ever word didn't she? What does she want?

The stranger in the black cloak shifted a little and a sliver of white, silver-like hair was revealed in the darkness of the hood, "Watch what you say to me, cure." She said simple, but her words were sharp.

"Same to you." Rosamond snapped back, her body tense, "So, I can tell you know something about all of this Soul Edge business. I think it would be fair if you shared it with us, since you already know what we know" The woman began to laugh and she stood up abruptly. Rosamond knees bended and her arms came out in a protective stance, ready for a fight. Sigmund stood up ready to protect his sister and Imp jumped up eagerly. The woman in the black cloak just laughed louder, a crazed laugh that made Alexa squirm.

"I have no wish to fight." She said, "I've got what I came for, why would I need to bother myself with the likes of you all?" She stepped closer to them, and Alexa noted how tall she was. The woman raised her hands and pushed her hood away, reviling her face to them.

The woman was the most frightening individual Alexa had ever meet, up to this point. She had short hair and light blue eyes. From what she could tell, the woman was in her thirties and looked more Spaniard then English. She cared herself much like a noble and also like a warrior, who has been in many fights. But what scared Alexa was her what she felt from this woman.

_She has the look of someone who is a long friend of hatred. And something about her doesn't seem natural, and is it just me, or do I feel the same vigor that radiated off of Soul Edge. It's very faint, but I can feel it._

The woman's eyes moved over to Alexa and for a moment Alexa saw curiosity in those dangerous eyes. She, then, began to move toured the door, without a word.

"Hey, aren't you forgetting something!" Rosamond growled.

The woman turned back to us, her eyes flashing.

"I'm not letting you leave until you tell us everything you know."

"O, and how are you planning on accomplishing this? You have no weapon and I do." From under her cloak, she pulled out a sword, a normal sized sword unlike the two enormous swords from before, and it was scarlet with a green gem or something in it's hilts middle.

"A true warrior can fight with or without a weapon." Rosamond said with audacious.

"Like I said, I have no wish to fight, but I will if you get in my way. Don't meddle in things that doesn't concern you." She turned to leave and no one made an attempt to stop her.

She knows something, something that might help me.

And to everyone's surprise, even Alexa's, Alexa stood up, her leg forgotten, and she ran to the door, and blocked the woman's way. The woman narrowed her eyes at this little girl who stood in her way and Alexa stared back; scared, but determined.

"Please, you have got to tell us, you don't understand, for it does concern us. I know you know something about that crystal sword, and the crystal sword is my only link, besides Soul Edge. Please, all I want is to go home and it's the only way I could return home… I don't know how I know this, but…just, please tell us and we won't bother you again after."

The woman face was darkened over for a moment and the out of the blue the woman's foot came flying at her and Alexa was kicked through the door and onto the decaying porch, which broke underneath her when she landed and she fell into a hole. Rosamond came at the woman and throw a punch at her, which the woman dogged easily, but she didn't notice Rosamond foot, which nearly knocked her down. Imp taking advantage of her surprise ran at her and tried kicking the legs from underneath her, but he was to slow. She blocked his blow with her sword and with her high heel boots; she kicked him in the stomach and sent him flying into a table. Sigmund attempted to go around them to aid Alexa, but he fell to the ground when Rosamond was knocked into him. Imps ran to the bar, grabbed a glass bottle, and throw it at her, which smashed into the back of her head. It didn't even make her flinch. The woman grabbed Rosamond by the neck and tossed her across the room and Sigmund stood up in attempt to defend his sister, but was meet with steel slapping him across the face, leaving a bloody slash across his face. He fell, with a cry and Imp came running at her one last time and he too fell to the ground.

"Enough!" The woman roared as Rosamond got up and came at her again. With one single movement, the sword expanded and wrapped itself around Rosamond's waist.

"I can snap you in half anytime I want to now!"

Alexa, who had just crawled out of the hole, didn't take a moment at all for her to get up and run to save Rosamond, her leg screamed from the pain, but Alexa clenched her teeth and enored it. In desperation, Alexa, without thinking, ran up from behind the woman and grabbed the whip like sword and tried pulling it out of her hand.

"Let her go! Ok, you can go without telling us anything! I'll figure it out myself! It's not worth fighting over! And it's defiantly not worth anyone's life! Please, let her go!" For a moment she just stared at her, then finally she smiled with amusement.

"I'll give you this much little girl, you know how to negotiate, but you are not very smart, especially if you think you can lay a hand on my sword." Alexa let go and backed away quickly. When she did, Rosamond was freed from the death grip and she fell to the ground gasping. Alexa ran over to her and helped her sit up. Imp and Sigmund got up too and helped Alexa pick Rosamond off the ground. The woman stood at the door and watched them for a while, and then she said, "The crystal sword you spoke of is called Soul Calibur. If you wish to seek it out, look for a man in crystal armor, who was once known as the Azure Knight, Soul Edge's pet, but is now Soul Calibur's wielder." She turned to leave, but then stopped, "And don't expect to never see me again. For I plan on finding out the connection between you and that sword, little girl." Then she disappeared through the door.


	7. Chapter 7: An Unspoken Goodbye

Author's Note: Hope you are still enjoying this story.

**Review Please!**

Alexa lay in the bed that was provided for her and stared up at the holes in the ceiling; the stars outside twinkled so familiar yet so unrecognizable. Her glasses were lopped sided on her face, and her body ached all over as her bad leg sent pulses of pain through her body. Alexa's thoughts turned away from the stars and returned to the event five hours ago. Everyone turned out to be all right in the end, but still Alexa worried about what could have happened and what did happen.

_It was my fault; they got hurt because of my idiocy. But I need the information she had; Soul Calibur is my only connection._

Alexa dared to turn to her side, being careful not to trigger an episode of pain from her leg. Her leg had gotten worse since the fight with the white hair woman, Alexa guessed it got worse because she used it when it wasn't ready for her too. But the pain from her leg didn't bother her as much as the pain her new friends had endured protecting her.

_I can't let that happen again. I need to leave them out of this; I have to find Soul Calibur on my own, but something tells me they aren't just going to let me walk out the door. If I want to leave without them noticing, I'll have to leave tonight. _

Alexa sat up and placed her feet on the floor and carefully put pressure on her bad leg and she quickly wished she hadn't. Pain blasted up her leg and Alexa grabbed her leg, and shut her eyes, waiting for the pain to go way.

_Nope, no way am I going to be walking on this leg anytime soon. I'm surprised that I was even able to walk before. Well, that plan was ruined, if I can't walk anywhere, how am I going to get anywhere?_

Alexa sighed, aggravated with herself. She looked around the relatively empty room, for something that might give her an idea. There wasn't much to go by; there was a small table beside the bed, a broken chair in a corner of the room, and some extra bandages that Alexa sat on the table if she ever needed them. She bit her lower lip and thought about all the things that she could do, with the materials presented to her. She thought back to all the times she had been to the hospital with her father and she thought about all of the people she would pass in the halls that had a something wrong with a leg. Some were stuck in wheel chairs, but some also walked.

_What it!_

Grabbing the extra bandages, Alexa slid off the bed and on to the floor, keeping her leg in mind. Then she crawled to the broken chair, dragging her leg uselessly behind her. Once she reached the chair, she snatched up the four busted legs, and tied them together, using the bandages, to make a crutch. When she finished the last bind, Alexa returned to the bed and pulled herself back onto the bed.

_Ok, lets see it this thing will support my weight. _

Using the bed frame, Alexa slowly and unsteadily stood up; her arms shock with the effort and her leg gave little impulses of protest through her body, but that did not keep her for accomplishing her goal. The old bed frame squeaked and groaned, but it didn't break, for Alexa was very lightweight and lucky for her, for the bed frame couldn't take much more weight then hers'. Then Alexa tock her newly made crutch and put her weight on the flimsy crutch, but she didn't trust it with all of her weight just yet. When it continued to hold her, after putting half of her weight on it, Alexa tock a chance and let go of the bed frame. The wood that made the crutch crackled, but it held firm. Alexa was so surprised and so happy that she almost cried out with triumph but she put a hand over her mouth, before the sound could escape.

_Gee, find a solution and almost blow it, why don't you! I really need to be careful; any minute sound that I make might attract their attention. _

Alexa moved forward, with the her good foot leading the way, but when Alexa tock a step with her crutch, Alexa stopped dead in her tracks, by the sound the crutch made when it made contacted with the wooden floor again.

_O, great didn't think about that. The crutch makes to much noise, when it hits the wooden floor._

Alexa looked around for something to soften the sound, but there was nothing.

_Cloth would be too slippery, if I tie some to the end, it would make me trip. If only there was some sort of rubber near by._

Then she looked down at her feet.

_O yeah, there we go._

She sat back down and tock of her shoe from her bad leg, placed the ends of the crutch into the shoe, and tied it with the last of her bandages.

_Luckily, I don't need that shoe anymore; my foot won't be touching the ground anytime soon._

She stood up, easier than before, then slowly walked to the door, and the shoe working perfectly.

_Ok I think I'm ready._

Alexa shifted her glasses closer to her face and then she peaked around the corner, into the dark hallway. No one was there, but then again she didn't expect there to be.

_It has to be at least nine and everyone talked as if they were going to bed. _

Carefully, she walked out into the hallway and passed five doors to her left, three of which Alexa guessed was where they slept, and then stopped at the door to her right, at the farthest side. Alexa placed a hand on the door and pushed herself into the main part of the inn.

The room was in as worse a shape then when she first entered the room, because of the fight that they had with the white haired woman. Nothing in the room wasn't broken, and the hole that she made in the floor, when she landed, was clearly visible from where she stood.

_Ok so far, so good. I'll be in the clear when I get out of this settlement. _

Alexa moved to the door, her pace quickened, hoping nothing goes wrong, as she stepped through the door, around the hole, and into the moonlight.

"Where you going?" Alexa heard a familiar voice from behind her and Alexa gasped in surprise. She heard him chuckled and Imp stepped to her side, looking down at her meaningfully. "Well?"

"Uhm… I was just…"

He smiled at her, "Taking a walk?"

"Yeah, that's right, I'm just taking a walk, that's all."

"Well, I wouldn't if I were you. Besides, we were just preparing to leave anyways."

"Leave? Where?"

"Where you think? Come on, Rosamond and Sigmund are at the stables, preparing horses, lets join them since you are awake."

Imp led her down to the end of the road to the last building of the village, before the forest tock over again. It was a stable and a small one at that. This stable couldn't house over four horses at a time without over crowding it. The door was already open, and Sigmund and Rosamond stood in the doorway with two beautiful horses at their side. Sigmund sauntered around one of the horses and lifted a saddle onto the white horse with a brown splotch on its forehead, while Rosamond tightened another saddle on the entirely brown horse. When Imp and Alexa came near, Rosamond looked up and gave Imp a dirty look, her mouth became a thin line and her eyebrows lowered, which gave Alexa the impression that she was aggravated

"I told you not to wake her." She growled.

"I didn't! Did you ever stop to think that maybe she is capable of waking up herself?"

"Well, you don't have to be such a smart ass about it." Rosamond snapped, and a glaring match, fallowed, between both of them.

Alexa flinched at the language and couldn't help but ask, "Uhm… how long have you two known each other? I mean, you both act like you hate one another."

"I don't know." Rosamond said, shrugging her shoulders and returning to her work. "As far as I can remember, which is far to long if you ask me."

Imp laughed at this, "Yep, far to long, but we don't hate each other… our relationship is more like a brother and sister kind of thing."

"Or like… old married couple." Sigmund laughed and Rosamond turned on him.

"Sigmund shut up."

"Rosamond, don't you think we are two horses short? Is this all the horses you were able to find?" Imp inquired and she nodded.

"I'm afraid so, when everyone cleared out of here they didn't leave much behind."

"What do you mean, when everyone cleared out of here? Why did everyone go?" Alexa asked.

"You don't remember?"

Alexa shock her head.

-"Everyone fled the village, because some stranger came and clamed that the Azure Knight was seen close by. That he was the one who destroyed our neighboring village, and his servants were spotted by some woodsmen from our village."

"I'm confused, didn't that woman just say something about the person who wields Soul Calibur was once the Azure Knight? How can there still be an Azure Knight when he 'was once' the Azure Knight? Is there someone else, calling themselves the Azure Knight? And what is the Azure Knight?"

"I don't know, that was the first time we had heard of such a thing. So we really don't know much about that. And the Azure Knight is the one who wields Soul Edge and is causing much destruction and chaos through the world."

Alexa tilted her head, thinking. "Okkkk… Hey, wait a minute! If everyone cleared out of here, how come you three are still here?"

"That's simple," Imp replied, "We were hoping to face the Azure Knight, ourselves."

"What! That's crazy!"

"Not really," Rosamond said, and she walked over to one of the stalls and came back with something in both of her hands. In her right hand she held a short sword and in her right a spear with a red ribbon tied to its end.

"Our parents fought with Soul Edge when Sigmund and I was very young and we were very young when it tock them away from us. When we heard it was in the area, we decided it was our turn to take up our parents place and fight the Soul Edge, take our revenge, and to rid humankind of a terror. So we decided to wait here for it and strike at it, when it least expected." Rosamond walked over to the brown horse and tied the sword to the saddle.

"But it became apparent that it had no interest in this abandoned village, so we had began to prepare for a journey to hunt it down. I was preparing the last of our things when you showed up, and then that woman made the comment about an opposite weapon." Rosamond sat the spear down against the wall of the stable. "I only hope that woman was right about that sword…" She began to mumble to herself and then she turned her attention back to us.

Imp smiled and said, "I just want to see Soul Edge gone, the world will be a much funnier place when that that thing is destroyed and I attended to be apart of it."

Rosamond nodded, supportive, "Come, we must all prepare individually. Sigmund, Imp, I have sharpened your weapons, but I left them in the blacksmith's shop, you'll have to go get them."

Sigmund, Rosamond, and Imp walked past Alexa and Alexa just stood there a little overwhelmed. When they noticed that Alexa wasn't fallowing they stopped.

"You coming?" Sigmund asked.

"Uhm… Where?"

"We need to prepare, didn't you just hear what I said, and that does mean you too." Rosamond said.

"Prepare for what?"

"Man, were you even listening?" Imp laughed at Alexa's puzzled look.

"Yeah I was listening… You mean you want me to come with you?"

"Uh yes, what you need an invitation or something?"

_Ow, what now!_

"Why do I need to go?" Alexa asked, not looking them in the eye.

"Why you think, we are going after Soul Calibur. I think when we do, we will find Soul Edge and be able to defeat it with Soul Calibur's aid. Did I leave that part out?" Rosamond asked, and Sigmund nodded.

_No! They are doing the opposite of what I want them to do! What can I do? I have to keep them out of this some how! If they go looking for Soul Calibur with me, they could get themselves hurt again or worse. _

Alexa eyed Sigmund and in the light of the full moon Alexa could see the giant gash that went across his cheek and ended at his nose. It didn't bleed no more, but it surely hurt. On Rosamond, Alexa could see the cuts and contusions all up her arms and her face. Imp had no visible wounds, but he was hunched over and he acted like one of his arms was bothering him.

Alexa looked away, ashamed of herself.

"I can't go with you."

Sigmund raised his eyes in puzzlement, Imp looked Alexa in the eyes, even though she let her hair fall to cover her face, "Why not?"

_What should I tell them, 'I don't want you to come and look for the sword with me, I'm afraid you'll get hurt again.' No they will just laugh at me or get mad. I have to come up with something that will seem believable, but can separate me from them._

"I'm… scared… Yeah, that's it; I'm too scared to go with you. Maybe I can just wait here…"

"Don't worry, we are capable warriors, our enemies sword will not even be able to touch you." Rosamond said.

"Yeah, but…"

"Is it because you are scared for you're life, or are you scared for us?" Imp asked, and Alexa could help but be surprise at how well he could read her, by just staring at her eyes.

_Great, now what?_

Alexa thought for a moment, then she sighed and looked up at them, but kept her eyes hidden from them, especially Imp, who was continue to try and read her.

"Alright, I'll come along." She said, with a defeated voice, "But could I stay here. I really don't have anything to prepare. I'm ready as I am now, and I'd rather not have to walk to the inn and back, when I don't need to. I'm tired as it is."

"Alright, we will be back as soon as possible. I just need to get out of this ridiculous outfit, and Sigmund and Imp need to get their weapons and dress appropriate as well. If you need us, yell for us, for my ears shall be wide open for your call."

Alexa nodded understanding. Sigmund and Rosamond made turned around and continue down the road. Imp stood there for a moment, looking down at her, but finally, without another word, he turned and fallowed his comrades.

Alexa watched as they went, Sigmund and Imp broke away from Rosamond, into a building across the street from the inn and Rosamond went into the inn. When Alexa was sure they had disappeared to where they no longer had a view of her, Alexa limped over to the white horse. She stroked his mane and was pleased to see how gentle the creature was. Taking a breath of cool air, with her heart pounding hard as if it was a hammer, Alexa put her good foot onto the stirrup iron and lifted her bad leg over the saddle to the other side, as she mounted the horse. It tock a lot of effort on her part and she almost lost her crutch in the process, but she did it. Alexa tied her crutch to the saddle and she grabbed the reins. Lucky for her, she knew a little horse riding; her father thought it was a good summer time adventure for her, when she was nine. Alexa gulped and looked back in the their direction, no one had come out yet.

She leaned over and whispered to the horse, "Go, please. Run your fastest."

Then she tock the reins, and they were off. Alexa closed her eyes for a second, she dared not look to see if they heard the horse's hooves and look to see what was up, as the horse reared up and ran like the wind. Air hit her face, as she steered the horse left, in the opposite way of the inn, for the farther away she could get from that place the better it would be for them all.

_I am sorry for stealing this horse from you. But now with only one horse, you will not be able to fallow me. _Alexa thought to them, even though she knew they would not hear. _I'm sorry, for everything, you were so kind to me and this is the best way I know how to repay you for your kindness. To keep you all from danger. I hope we meet again, in better times. _

Alexa steered the white horse into the tree-surrounded road and the village soon disappeared from behind her.

Rosamond ran back outside; when she heard the sound of hooves running on hard ground and she was just in time to see the short blond hair of Alexa's, disappear into the distance. Her dark form got smaller and smaller, then she was no longer seeable as the trees blocked her form. Sigmund and Imp stood in the middle of the road, they had been the first to see her flight. Then Sigmund began to run for the other horse, his intent to try and go after her.

"Sigmund." Rosamond yelled, "Laß sie gehen! (Let her go!)"

"(In German) We can't just let her go! Who knows what kind of trouble she will get herself in! The girl has no fighting ability, she won't last a day out there!" "Ich weiß (I know.)" Rosamond said, "That is why we are going after her. But we all need to do so together. I'll go see if I can go buy some horses from that old farmer down by the creek and then we will go track her down. She shouldn't be to hard to find."

Sigmund nodded satisfied.

"Lets just hope she doesn't get herself into trouble before then." Imp said and they all looked the way Alexa had disappeared, with worried hearts.

Hours later…

The dark assassin jumped from tree to tree and then landed perfectly on her feet in front of her master.

"What have you to report?" The deep voice demanded from the shadows of the trees, hidden from the brilliance of the moonlight.

"The girl has separated herself from the other young warriors, my lord." She said, her voice was girlish and very high pitch, with a crazed tone to it.

The assassin's master stirred in his dark spot, "Good. This is very good, indeed. Make things simpler."

"My lord there is more." The assassin said, this time her voice was deeper and wicked. "The girl is being fallowed by the alchemist, Ivy Valentine and if the girl continue on the path, she shall be intersepted by another group of warrior, and I'm afraid one of these warriors carries a strong amount energy of our enemy."

Her master roar at this, and the assassin stepped back a little as the energy from him sored at her. "No matter the girl shall die. And they all shall die! And their souls shall be mine!" Then he stepped into the moonlight, his gastly form reviled. That fiend, the foe of mankind, the distroyer of lives, the devour of souls, and the evil that haunted ever corner of the world. That monster, that nightmare.


	8. Chapter 8: Fall into Destiny

Author's Note: I'm really sorry about the wait; I've been so busy! Here is chapter eight. Also, I'm sorry if it seems like I'm rushing into things, I'll revise this chapter if I need to. **Please, review.**

* * *

That morning…

Alexa snapped her eyes open when she felt herself being pulled back violently as Snow, the white horse (Alexa named him Snow), tock off in a hurry. She grabbed a hold of the reins before she could fall off and bent closer to avoid a tree branch as it neared her face. Her instinct was to try pulling the reins, which is the way she learned, but when she did that, she sat up and another tree branch suddenly appeared and slashed her across the face causing her to fall off Snow and land hard on firm ground. Alexa rolled for a couple of feet down hill, each rock added more to her pain, until finally she came to a stop at it's bottom. Tears of agony spilled down her face as she gripped her leg and face, she rolled up in a ball as her breath came in gasps and she fought for her consciousness. It wasn't long before the pain in her leg to subside, but the rest of her body however was not so lucky. Alexa lay there and cried with frustration while praying that nothing was broken.

"Hey, are you alright?" Alexa heard and she slow sat up to see where the voice came from. It came from a young Chinese woman, who was rushing over to her along with four others behind her, but Alexa couldn't tell who the others were for her vision had became very hazy. The young Chinese woman slid to her side as she repeated the question and Alexa blinked wordless, still a little dazed.

"Here, lets get you off to the side." She picked Alexa up and helped her to the side of the road, with the help of one of the others, a young Chinese man, and they sat her on a bolder amongst the trees.

"Thank you." Alexa said softly. Her voice was a bit hoarse and she slumped her head down just a bit, but her breathing became normal and she began to think more clearly.

"Are you alright?" This time asked by the young Chinese man. Alexa looked up at him, but she could barely make out any physical features.

"My glasses, I need my glasses."

"You mean these things?" She heard and she felt her glasses get slipped into her right hand.

"Yes, thank you." She answered, to the new comer, who, all she could tell, had black hair, Asian, and wore white. Alexa cautiously slipped on her glasses, careful not to damage them further, but it turned out that her glasses had sustained very little damage, if any, for Alexa did not see any cracks in her vision when she put them on.

_I need to remember to send a note to the Eyeglass Company who made these glasses and thank them. _

Finally, Alexa had the chance to look, in more detail, at the ones who tock the time to help her.

The young Chinese woman was younger than what Alexa first thought she was, she had to be no older than twenty or twenty-one. She had dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, and a blue, purple outfit. The young Chinese man beside her was not much older than her and had the same colored hair and eyes and wore a blue outfit with complex designs. The two seem to match perfectly, Alexa noted. The one who gave Alexa her glasses, was older than the two, and was taller than them all. He was also an Asian (but not from China, that was clear), with black hair that was well taken care of, black eyes, and he wore white and black outfit. The last two were also Asian; one was a young Korean woman who had to be the same age as the young Chinese man's, with dark brown hair, brown eyes, and green and white outfit with pink roses. Then lastly, there was an Asian girl who kept her distance, but looked at Alexa more anxiously then the others. The girl had to be Alexa's age and Alexa could not figure out exactly where she was from by just looking at her. The girl had black hair that almost looked blue in a different light. She had black eyes, and wore an outfit that reminded Alexa of a jinni. They all carried with them a unique and different weapon from each other's, and the weapons were all worn out like each had seen many battles.

"Hey, daydreamer." The Korean woman waved a hand in front of Alexa's face. "You haven't answered any of our questions." Alexa blushed, embarrassed when she realize she had been staring at them without saying anything.

"O uhm, I'm all right, I think." Alexa looked herself up and down. She looked aright, besides the bruises, cuts, and the fact she ached all over. Her nurse's outfit was missing a few buttons, and her leggings were ripped to shreds. One of her white gloves was missing and so were her choker and her last boot. Her hair was a complete disaster and everything that was supposed to be white was not white anymore. Blood from the cut on her face, ran down into her mouth and Alexa wiped it away with disgust, causing the blood smeared all over her arm.

The Asian girl searched throw the traveling bag she cared and pulled out a rag. "Here." She said, handing it to her.

"Thanks." Alexa tock it, grateful, and wiped the blood away.

"What happened to Snow?"

"If you mean your horse, Yun-seong went after it." Answered the Korean woman.

"Who?"

"Our friend. Don't worry, he will be able to bring your horse back, he is good with horses."

"Why were you riding a horse that fast anyhow? You do realize that it's dangerous?" The Chinese woman asked.

"I wasn't riding it very fast. Snow just suddenly started running. It got spooked or something."

"Really, by what?" The Chinese man asked.

"No idea. I was half asleep when it happened."

There was a pause, where the group exchanged looks, then the Chinese man asked

"So, what your name?"

Alexa stared at them for a moment, debating if it was safe to answer.

"Alexa." She finally answered, shrugging to herself.

"Where you from?"

"Uh… well, I'm not from around here."

"Ok… if you are not from around here, were are you from?"

Alexa looked at him, he seemed to be studying her, like he was trying to figure something out about her.

"I'm a traveler, so I'm not really from anywhere."

"Traveler, huh, must have not been traveling that long then, since you don't know how to control your horse."

_O great, he just called my bluff, I need to come up with a more convincing story then that._

"Uhm… yes I've not been traveling long. My father is off in some war and I just got sick of sitting around home waiting for him, so yesterday I decided it was time to go see the world." Alexa went into more detail about other things and soon they seemed to accept the story that she was telling, except two of them, the Chinese man and the black haired guy. They would exchange glances as Alexa talked and they looked less and less convinced.

Then, from behind, a young Korean man came up leading Snow to them.

"Snow!" Alexa stood up and hobbled over to Snow with the help of the Chinese woman, "I didn't think I was ever going to see you again. What startled you? And did you have to panic like you did?" Snow bit up a large chunk of grass and began chewing it noisily. Alexa laughed at this; Alexa knew that that action was just part of his character. Alexa said thank you, shyly to the Korean man who was named Yun-seong from what was told earlier. When Alexa got a good look at Yun-seong she could not help, but notice his lack of shirt and pretend to get something out of the bags in order to get a chance to roll her eyes with out him seeing.

_Good grief, does anyone dress up for the weather here, I mean it not exactly warm out here. In fact, I think its drop several degrees since that wind picked up._

Yun-seong couldn't have been much older than eighteen, and he had a weapon as well.

Alexa returned her attention to them and smiled.

_I'm being too ungrateful; I mean they did just assist me._

"What is each of your names? I wish to thank you properly."

The young Chinese was the first to speak.

"My name is Kilik."

"I'm Xianghua."

"Maxi."

"Talim." She said brightly.

"Seong Mi-na"

Then lastly, Yun-seong replied his name, who looked rather bored.

"I am very pleased to meet you all. I wish I had something way to repay you all for your kindness, but I'm afraid I don't have any money."

"There is no need for payment."

"Yeah, Maxi is right, there is no need, we are happy to help."

Alexa smiled back at them, surprised by how kind they were being.

_It's too bad these types of people don't make it to the history books._

"I guess I'll be going then, thanks for everything. You all have been really too kind. Thank you again, and safe travels." Alexa said, she turned her backs to them and grabbed a hold of the saddle.

"Wait. Don't you think you should rest first? I mean, you don't look like you should be able to stand, let alone move." Talim asked, concerned.

"I'm fine, really…"

"Are you caring a weapon?" Kilik asked.

"No, why?"

The six warriors raised their eyebrows at this.

"How old are you kid?" inquired Maxi

"Fifteen."

"Aren't you a little young to be 'traveling' by yourself?" requested Kilik.

Talim gave him a quick glance, but didn't say anything.

"To tell you the truth I don't believe your story from before. I can't believe a father would leave his fifteen-year-old daughter at home. By herself."

"Kilik, what does it mater, give the kid a break." Seong Mi-na snapped.

"He didn't, my… mother is still around."

"And she doesn't mind that you are 'traveling', I doubt that."

"What war did you say your father is fighting in, again?" Xianghua asked, who was catching on to what her companions were thinking.

_Ok, what wars were happening during this time? OW, I can't remember…darn it, come on think…I have to be careful, I'm stuck in the past, if I say my father is fighting in a war that hasn't happened yet, it might cause a ripple effect throw time. What should I say, what would be believable. _

"Well, anyways, it doesn't matter right now." Kilik said and he walked up to her. "You are still to weak to be on your own. Let us take you to the nearest village; there you can get some rest. Then we will talk." He smiled at her kindly, but he had an edge to his smile that told Alexa this wasn't an offer, they were going to take her, even if she wanted them to or not.

"Can I ask something?" Alexa asked nervously.

"Yes."

"What do you want with me? I've done nothing."

Talim came up to her, "Oh! I understand now, Kilik. Alexa, you have been toughed by Soul Edge haven't you? I can sense it now, and I can feel you have come in contacted with Soul Calibur too, haven't you?"

Alexa heart sunk down into her stomach.

_What, they know about Soul Edge and Soul Calibur? Who are these people?_

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Don't worry, we not going to hurt you, we just need to know what you know and the connection you have with those swords."

Alexa searched them, looking for the best way to escape.

_I need to buy myself some time._

"Alright I'll tell you, but not right now, if you don't mind, I'm a little tired."

_Man, when will trouble stop fallowing me? Am I going to have to run from everyone I meet?_

* * *

Deep with in the forest the alchemist, Ivy Valentine, moved swiftly throw the trees, like a lonely shadow and then rested at a tree not far from her target. She heard them as they spook and she smirked with delight when she heard mention of Soul Calibur.

_So she has made some more friends, good she'll live longer. Long enough for me to get a hold of Soul Calibur anyways._

Then suddenly from above, Ivy heard a rustle in the trees and her head snapped up just in time to see the dark figure flee.

_Damn it, that was Tira, what is she doing here. _

Ivy began to run after her, but then stopped.

_No, she wants me to fallow her. She wants to separate me from that girl. I will not fall for it._

Ivy returned her attention back to the group behind her.

_I recognize these people; I've seen them before. _

Ivy narrowed her eyes.

_It doesn't matter. If they get in my way, they will be easy to kill._

* * *

Ok, I know this chapter was a little rough and I'll try to find the time to fix it, but I'm going to go on to chapter nine. I had a hard time with the Soul Calibur characters in this chapter, I'm having trouble portraying them right and I'm sorry. I hope to do a better job at it in the next chapter, so please don't give up on me just yet. Also I would like to apologize for the long wait, I was super busy last month, but hopefully, next week my busy schedule will be slimmed off a bit and I'll be able to put more time into this story. Please review, the reviews I've received have been very helpful and I look forward to more of them. Thank you!


	9. Chapter 9: Wolfkrone Kingdom

Authors Note: Here is chapter nine, **enjoy!** As usually, **please review**! Thanks.

P.S. Long chapter, I know, but my chapter will be getting longer as thing continue to pick up. Hope I'm doing a better job portraying the Soul Calibur characters. Also, just to tell you the main climax is coming up so please bear with me, things are going to start getting interesting I promise. And if they don't complain to me, please. I still take ideas by the way, if you want to give them, can't promise that I can put them in, but I'll consider all of them.

* * *

_I wander what their definition of 'near by' is, because the village is so not 'near by'._

Thought Alexa as the six warriors continued to lead her up the steep mountain. They had been walking for at least a four miles up the mountain, and they still weren't out of breath or had slowed down.

_Well, except for that one guy._

Alexa turned in the saddle glance back at him. It was the spiky red head, Yun-seong, he had been dragging his feet ever since they started walking and he seemed to be getting slower and slower. Talim, ever so often, would go back there and talk to him, trying to coax him into walking faster and she would run back up to the others. Xianghua would do the same, but then again she was the one who talked the most out of all them. She would make, literally, rounds to each of them and talked and talked a mile a minute; asking millions of questions, especially when she talked to Talim, Seong Mi-na, and Yun-seong. Seong Mi-na and Talim were inclined to answer and they were happy to exchange questions and answers as they walked. Yun-seong was not so inclined; he would just grunt an answer or just roll his eyes and look away. Seong Mi-na would glare his way when he did that, then roll her eyes at his rude behavior, and she'd bite her lip to keep herself from yelling something nasty at him. Kilik and Maxi, who tock up the lead of the group, where quit, but they would randomly add something to a conversation. The quietest of all of them was Alexa; even Xianghua couldn't get a conversation out of her. When she was asked a question her answer was either: yes, no, or I don't know, madam. She kept her head down most of the time, only chancing to look up and survey her surroundings when she was sure none of them was looking her direction.

Alexa turned back in the saddle, and then after taking a quick glance at everyone, she put her head down to think.

_Ok, I have two in the front, three to my right, and one who is lagging behind. If the two in the front has let down their guard and if I can get Snow to pick up enough speed I should be able to break through them. Only if they have let down their guard._

Alexa looked up briefly to see if they had. Then she put her head back down and sighed.

_Nope, they both look like they are in high alert. Kilik is gripping that stick thing so tight it's a wander his knuckles aren't red._

Alexa tilted her head to one side.

_Well, I need to think of something. I can't just let these people lead me to who knows where. What if they are leading me right to Soul Edge? These people seem nice and all, but how do I know that it's all not just an act? And I am not going to see that thing again, not if I can help it anyways, and this Nightmare guy sounds really scary. All I want is to find Soul Calibur and make it send me home, that is all. To hell with Soul Edge!_

"Excuse me?" Alexa heard and she felt someone tap her arm. Alexa moved her head, ever so slightly and looked at Xianghua as she smiled up at her.

"Are you alright, you were kind of turning pail there for a moment."

"Yes." Alexa answered softly and quietly, keeping her eyes on the dirt of the road.

"Yes, what?"

Alexa swallowed, "I'm fine."

"O… that good… are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Ok…" She bite her lip and looked at the others. Seong Mi-na shrugged her shoulders and motioned her with her hand. Talim kept her eyes on Alexa and Alexa felt unnerved by her gaze. She felt that the girl could read her, in fact, they all seemed be able to read her.

_Am I that obvious._

Xianghua returned her attention to Alexa, "So, uhm… where are you really from?"

"Nowhere in particular."

"Got any family?"

"Yes."

"Brothers or sisters?"

"Yes."

"Do they have names?"

"Yes."

Xianghua sighed and fell silent for a moment as she searched for a question that would force Alexa to answer with more than one to three words.

_Good, gives me more time to think._

Alexa moved her head back to its regular position.

_Ok, all I can think of, if I want to make a break for it, would be I have to come up with a way of maneuver Snow so that I can avoid everyone. But how do I do that?_

Finally, a light turned on.

_Yun-seong._

She dared a quick glance at him. He had his hands behind his head and he was looking around very dreamily.

_Well, he seems to have let down his guard, it would be easy getting past him. He might not even know what was going on until after he was knocked down flat on his butt as Snow and I pasted. And instead of turning to the left I think it might set things more off balance if I had Snow turn to the right, that way I can surprise those three and cause them to be a little slow at reacting. Maybe even knock them over, causing a distraction for the Kilik and Maxi, which would slow them down as well. Otherwise, they might make it a little more difficult getting up to speed to get past Yun-seong. Also, it might be a good idea if…_

Her thoughts were interrupted as Kilik fell back, stood at Xianghua's side, and asked, "Alexa, I have a question for you. Are you scared of us?"

_What kind of brainless question is that?_

Alexa shifted her head up and gave him the most annoyed look she could muster.

"No."

"Good, because there is no reason to be."

_No reason to be!_

"No reason to be? What are you stupid or something? Yeah right, uhm… let me think; first I don't know any of you. Second, you basically… what the word for it… kidnap me! Third, I told you I have no association to Soul Calibur or Soul Edge and even it I did, I wouldn't tell you and I'd defiantly be scared of you, for how would I know if you are in league with Soul Edge? How would I know you're not leading me to Soul Edge? Soul Edge tried to kill be once and I'm sure it will try again, which I have no idea why it tried in the first place or why Soul Calibur saved me and brought me to this… this whatever time period. So, yeah, I have abundance of reasons to be scared of you all! But I'm not scared, in fact, I'm very…" Alexa caught the rest of her words in her mouth before they could slip out and she put her head down, shocked by her sudden explosion.

_Stupid, brainless, idiot! You just gave them way too much information just now. I just told them the connection that I have with those swords, not to mention I just hinted that I'm not from this time period …O! That was so foolish, why did I just explode like that? Darn it! I've got to get away from them, before I screw up more!_

Alexa gripped the rein tightly; preparing herself to pull it, and begin her flight.

"Hey, calm down." She heard Kilik say, but Alexa ignored him and began to pull Snow to the right at a fast speed, but Kilik was to fast for her. He reached up and snatched away the rein and pulled Snow to a stop. Alexa swung her good leg and tried to kick him away, but the warrior stopped the blow, easily. Then, in desperation, Alexa grabbed a hold of her crutch and tried to smack him a cross the head with it, but he blocked with his staff, then she tried to grab the rein away from him, but he held on to it firmly. Everyone stopped and tried to help Kilik. Maxi came up and tock the reins from Kilik and Yun-seong tried to calm the horse as Kilik, Xianghua, Talim, Seong Mi-na tried to talk to Alex, but she kept yelling at them to just leave her alone.

Finally they backed off and Kilik said, "Ok, ok, we will leave you alone. Maxi, go a head, give her back the rein." Maxi blinked at him, but did as he asked. Alexa accepted it, surprised, and she looked over at Kilik expecting a double-cross.

"What are you looking at, you can go."

"Is this some kind of joke?"

"No. You were never a prisoner, so you can go anytime you want."

"But, when I tried to leave, you stop me."

"Yes, I stop you from hurting someone. You were heading right for us, you know."

_Oh, never thought about that… I could have hurt someone…Ops…_

"But before you go, I would like you to know that we are not the bad guys here."

"Yeah," Xianghua said, "We have been fighting Soul Edge for a very long time, trying to destroy it. We are not on it's side."

"Easy words to say and not very believable ones without proof."

"It doesn't matter what you believe." Maxi interrupted, "But it's the truth, rather you believe it or not."

"For the most part." Yun-seong muttered and Seong Mi-na turned and growled wordless at him.

Alexa slummed in the saddle and leaned against Snow's neck.

_The day is young and I already fell like I have just run a marathon._

Alexa smiled to herself and she turned to them again.

_Wait a moment; maybe I can test their word. If I give them a chance, see where they are taking me then…_ Alexa paused in her thinking.

_Maybe, they can lead me to Soul Calibur and I can finally get out of here._

"I'm really sorry, maybe we have gotten off the wrong foot. Lets try again." Alexa extended her hand out to them. Kilik tock and they shock hands.

"I'm sorry as well, if I frightened you."

"You did a little." And the both smiled. Xianghua jumped up happily and smiled from ear to ear at them, Seong Mi-na sighed as the tension wearied off around her, and Talim smiled along with all the rest, but Yun-seong just shrugged his shoulders and returned to his little world.

"I'm tired," Alexa said, "And I have no idea where this village you spook of earlier is. Would you mind taking me there? I promise, in return, I'll tell you what I know about Soul Edge and Soul Calibur, but I should warn you it isn't much and you might already know all of it by now."

"Sure, we'll take you. And don't worry about promising us anything. You can tell us your story when you fell safe enough to do so." Seong Mi-na replied.

"Thank you." Alexa said, as her breath came a little easier.

_Boy am I a fool, these people were always really too nice to be in league with something as evil as Soul Edge._

* * *

Rosamond, Sigmund, and Imp rode fast down the dusty road, fallowing the tracks of the horse Alexa had taken just a day ago. Two of the horse, the ones Sigmund and Imp rode, where ones they had to buy of an old farmer, who wouldn't give Rosamond the horses to until she paid a ridiculous sum of money, which was three times the amount the horses were worth. But worry for her friend stopped any argument she would have made and Rosamond quickly paid the man and returned to her village. From there they rode off at daybreak and they had been riding ever since.

It was about mid-afternoon when Sigmund saw something in the corner of his eye that was familiar. He stopped his horse and called for his comrades to do the same. He slid off the horse and reached down to pick up the object, the huge sword on his back made a ring sound when it hit the armor that he now wore, when he bent down. Rosamond and Imp came up behind him, to see what he had found.

It was a glove, a silky white glove.

"Alexa's" Imp said, looking around for another sign of her.

"(Look.)" Sigmund crocked in German. "(It's all ripped up and there is blood on it.)"

Rosamond tock the glove and examined it. Sigmund tock a deep breath and watched as his sister examined the glove, then went over and examined the road.

After a moments pause, Rosamond walked back up the hill followed by Sigmund. Imp tock the horses; leading them off the road amongst the trees.

"Yeah, she now going to play detective." He said sarcastically to himself, "Well I think I get in some practice while I wait, because this might take awhile." Imp walked over to the sidesaddle of his horse, which the horse was young brown horse with a white tail, and he slipped on a thick pair of leather gloves and then unattached his ring blade. The ring blade was made out of hard iron, which was painted forest green with five yellow streaks that streaked outward and color ended at the points of five blades. Imp named the ring blade Spaß which was German for "fun", The inside and the outside was sharp, so Imp was careful not to hurt anything as he move away from the horses and began twirling the thing around. Imp played with it for a while, but he couldn't do much with it, for he wasn't wearing his Caretaker's Gauntlets that would have protected his hands and arms a lot better then the leather gloves, but leather gloves where alright for practice.

It was minutes later, when Rosamond and Sigmund returned. Sigmund looked very unhappy and Rosamond was in deep thought as the both sat down on a boulder.

"Well?" Imp asked after a long pause. "What did you find out?"

Rosamond lifted a tree branch that she held in her hand and showed it to Imp.

"See this branch, what I'm guessing that Alexa got hit by this branch and was knocked off the horse and then rolled down that hill. From the horses tracks, it looked like it the horse was running fast, fast enough, so when Alexa hit this branch, the branch broke off." She tossed the branch to the side and sighed.

"It probably got her in the face, which would have knocked her out or at least knock her silly."

"(Knock her silly enough to let whatever was after her to get a hold of her.)" Sigmund muttered in German. He bent his head down and looked at the ground, with his hands clamped together.

"Hey! No one said anything about her being chase by anything. They are many explanations on why she had the horse running so fast. She might have wanted to get a good head start on us or the horse just got spooked, you that horse is very easily frightened. For all we know a mouse could have jumped out at them. Come on Sigmund, look at the bright side. I'm sure Alexa is fine, I just know it."

"But she was being chased." Rosamond said, and Imp looked at her.

"But I think your right, I think she is fine. Up on the hill, we found massive footprints of some giant that seemed to fallow her at least four strides before she hit the branch and rolled down the hill. But for some reason, the giant didn't fallow her as she rolled down the hill, in stead, it looked like he stopped at the top then made a quick get away into the forest. It was almost like, whatever it was, saw something it didn't like or wanted to deal with at the moment." Rosamond got up and returned to the road. She bent over and examined the dirt and mumbled to herself, "But what?" Then she turned her eyes to further down the road and her eyes caught onto another white object, Alexa's boot. Rosamond rushed over to it and went to pick it up, but stopped and instead she knelt down.

_So this is where she finally stopped rolling._ She thought. Rosamond searched the dirt around the spot until she found the footprint and she called her companions over.

"Hey, I found some footprints!"

Imp and Sigmund scramble over to her and Imp was first to arrive. He grinned reticently and said, "And human to." Rosamond smacked him in the leg with the back of her head at his comment and he laughed.

"Gee, if you don't believe about the giant footprints why don't you walk up there and take a look yourself!" She snapped.

"Nay, it would take to much time to walk up there and all the way back down here. It would be too much work for me. I think I'll take your word for it."

Rosamond rolled her eyes.

"ANYWAYS, I think these footprints where made at the same time, but I can't be sure. The dirt on this road isn't very good for making footprints, but it does look like these two sets of footprints did stop and help her. Look…" She stood up and pointed down at another impression in the dirt. "Here is where the helped her across into the forest and look over there, there is more activity over there. Looks like they where more than two and there is some horse prints."

"Soooooooo, what are we suppose to take from all of this?"

"What are you blind? Who ever these people are, they scared away that giant and stopped to help Alexa. These people may even be with her as we speak."

"(But how are we to know if they mean well?)"

"I'm afraid, brother, that we only can pray that they do."

"(What should we do know?)"

"I vote on keep fallowing her." Imp said.

Rosamond nodded, "I agree, just because Alexa might have found some allies doesn't mean that she won't find enemies as well. That giant might have not wanted to deal with, whoever they where, but that doesn't mean that he has given up. He would defiantly not give up if he were a servant of Soul Edge."

"Uh… more unhappy thoughts. You know you two could be king and queen of unhappy thoughts," Imp muttered and Rosamond ignored him.

"Come on, we are wasting time here. Let try to be reunited with Alexa by this time tomorrow."

Rosamond went to the horses and mounted her horse in one leap. Imp not far behind her. Sigmund reached behind him and gripped the hilt of his Zweihänder; the huge sword glistened in the sunlight as he tightened his grip on the gold hilt of the sword, that had a clear crystal at it's end, and he gripped if for strength and he quickly sent a prayer for Alexa's welfare as he opened his eyes again, and mounted his horse and hurried forward to catch up to the others.

* * *

On the other side of the mountain, in a place that was called Wolfkrone Kingdom, a young women, that had not long ago had come of age to be considered a women but yet she had considered herself an adult much longer than one should, sat in a chair in front of a locked door in a corridor of the castle. If you were to happen to walk up to her, you would first notice her long red hair, which stood out the most about her thanks to the refined blue dress that she wore. She stared blankly at the door and searched for words to say.

"Father, it is time. I shall be leaving soon; to restore the honor of the Krones, to protect Wolfkrone, and to…" She paused, "And to finally make Soul Edge pay for what it did to you." She finally said; her words were strong and furies.

Silence greeted her through the door. The princess pause one more time, stood up, and nodded to the door.

"Goodbye." She whispered and then she turned to leave and walked away swiftly, she had business to attend to.

* * *

The sun was just beginning to set, when they arrive to their destination. Alexa eyes widened and her heart skipped a beat at the sight of the place. Before her was a valley that were surrounded by three mountains, and in the valley was a good size village that had many well taken care of house, two beautiful churches, and a wonderful natural environment that surrounded them. But what got Alexa's mouth to drop was the castle. The castle was huge; it had a blue roof and was made of a white stone. There were four or five towers that Alexa could see, and in it's centered was enormous clock, that from what Alexa could make out, had statues inside that moved around with the clock, by the second. She also noticed, the flags that were flown above the castle. Alexa could not make out what were on them, but she could see that the flags were triangle shaped and were red.

Alexa blinked over to Xianghua and gave her a curious look. "Is this the village you were talking about?"

"Yep, we haven't ever been here before, but we heard about it while on our travels here. Parentally, this is the capital of a Kingdom called… Wolfkrone, I think. The Krones, who are the royal family here, from what we heard, has a personal grudge against Soul Edge and, from what we heard, Soul Edge has threatened this place lot, so the princess is planning on leading an army to go to Ostrheinsburg to destroy Soul Edge. We are hoping that this is so, and we plan on lending a hand if she will except it."

"O… ok…"

_Wow, she really does talk a lot. O well, Mike liked to talk a lot too when I first meet him…_

A wave of homesickness hit her as she though about her friend.

"Come on. Stop sight seeing and let get down there, my stomach can't take being empty much longer!" Yun-seong complained and Talim giggled behind her hand as Seong Mi-na clobbered him with the not sharp end of her weapon.

Maxi rolled his eyes at his companions and strolled down the walkway that leaded down to the village. Kilik fallowed close behind, with Xianghua at his arm. Behind them Yun-seong nagged at Seong Mi-na for hitting him so hard and Seong Mi-na threaten back how much harder she would hit him if he kept getting on her nerves. Next, Alexa and Talim fallowed, Talim quietly enjoyed every ones company, while Alexa stared off and watched the village as the came closer and closer to it.


	10. Chapter 10: The Unknown Warrior

Author's Note: Sorry about the wait, here is chapter 10, the first part of the climax, enjoy. I haven't had a review for a long time, so **please review**. By the way, this is a very long chapter.

Reminder/ Warning: This story is T rated, so any kids out there should NOT be reading this there is violence in this chapter, very graphic in one part. Thank you.

O and Happy New Year! 2010!

* * *

_She stood in a grassless plain that seem to go on forever, the sky was gray with smoldering smoke and the dirt beneath her feet was black as coal. Far away, she could see a light that was beginning to fade and she began to run to it, for she need to reach it before it faded away forever; to stop it from fading if she could. Suddenly, she realized a wall of fire was chasing her and she began to run for her life as a claw came reaching, out of the fire, for her. She stubble as she ran and soon she fell to the ground and she looked up to the light for help, but it had vanished, it was too late. All was left on the lifeless plain was the wall of fire and her. As the evil fire loomed over her and she sighed a breath of despair then stood to face her doomed fate as the claw made to grab her and smother the life out of her. But the claw never had the chance to take her, for there appeared a man with long blond hair and armor made out of crystal. "Who are you?" she demanded of him as her eyes moved to the object that he held in his hands, for he held, in all its glory…_

"Hey!"

Alexa's eyes jumped open as sunlight streamed across her face.

"Good morning, sleepy head. Everyone waiting downstairs for you, so I would hurry it up." Came the cheery voice.

Alexa reached for her glasses and then squinted her eyes in Xianghua's direction as Xianghua leaned further into the window admiring the sunrise.

Alexa groaned and rubbed her eyes, "What happened, I don't remember falling a sleep?"

Xianghua turned to her and smiled, as she sat on the window ceil.

"Well, after we found this inn, we had to sit and wait for several hours as they prepared rooms for us."

"Yeah, I remember that much, but what I want to know is how I ended up here in bed."

"O well, that's simple. You fell a sleep while we were waiting and we cared you up here."

"You could have woken me."

"No one wanted to. Besides, anyone who can fall a sleep amounted a bunch of dunkers in the hardest chairs known to man probably couldn't be woken up anyways."

Alexa smiled to herself, "Yeah, those chairs were pretty uncomfortable."

Alexa sat up with some effort, "Ow, man, I'm really sore!"

"Yeah, I bet after the tumble you had yesterday. But don't worry; Talim and I will be taking you to a healer while everyone else is doing their thing. The innkeeper was just telling us how good this one healer was down the road from here."

_O goody, what do I remember about medieval medicine? Nothing good; a lot of things about dirty environments, a lot of people who didn't know what they were doing, and when these so called healers tried to "heal" someone and then they always managed to give the patient something worse then what they already had. This should be interesting. Luckily my father is a doctor and I tock the time to learn some things from him._

"Hey!"

Alexa looked up and was startled when she realized that Xianghua's face was five inches from her's.

"I wish you wouldn't do that." Alexa growled.

"I wish you wouldn't space out like that." Xianghua answered mildly. She stood up straighter and laughed at Alexa's expression. "You know, you daydream to much."

"I wasn't daydreaming, I was trying to think."

"Whatever, anyways," She went over to a little table and picked up brown tunic, brown paints, and a pair of leather shoes. " I tock the time to get you these, I figured you would want something that was less torn up and… foreign looking to wear today around here." She handed Alexa the cloths and the leaned against the door.

"O, thank you."

"I hope they fit alright. They might be a bit big though."

"But I don't have any money to repay you…"

"Don't worry about it. Besides, if I worried about money, I wouldn't have even thought about traveling." She pushed herself away from the door and turned. "Go ahead get dressed and then meet us downstairs. Kilik is wanting to talk to you before we do anything today."

Alexa swallowed and nodded, "Thank you."

Xianghua smiled to herself and left.

Alexa dressed and then stumbled down to the lobby. Alexa had her crutch with her, but she tried to walk without it, though most of the time it didn't work out so well. Her leg was getting better though.

Downstairs, the room was fairly empty, excepted for a few drunkards who were sleeping the night off. The warriors where outside talking; Xianghua waved at her from the open door and beckoned her to join them and Alexa waved back to let her know that she saw them. Alexa looked around the room, dreamily, and she yawned briefly as her eyes loved over the three drunkards.

_I wonder if the innkeeper is going to charge them for staying here overnight._

Alexa made to move to the door, but then she stopped when she recognized something she did not like. She recognized a cloak on one of the drunks, who she couldn't see from the dim lighting of the room. Alexa stepped nervously to the side and eyed the person trying to make out who it was, but couldn't. Alexa finally just rolled her eyes and shoved her nervousness aside, telling herself she was just being paranoid.

The six warriors turned to her and grew quit, as she stepped in the doorway. Alexa grew shy and warily at their silence, stepping back as her nervousness returned in a new form.

"Good morning." It was Talim. She grabbed Alexa's arm and coaxed her all the way outside with her friendly smile and pleasant questions. "Did you sleep well? Are you felling any better?"

"Yes and yes…"

"Good. I slept like a log last night, it was the first time in days that I was able to sleep on something other than rocks."

"She said she was a little sore when I got her up, so it might be a good idea to have her see the healer anyways."

Kilik nodded and gestured to Alexa, "Do you fell well enough for us to talk?"

Alexa nodded to him and breathed deeply calming herself, "What do you want to know?"

Minutes later, she had finished tell them exactly what she told Sigmund, Rosamond, and Imp the day before. While she was talking she had stopped for a moment and wandered where Sigmund, Rosamond, and Imp were.

"So the sword that saved you was Soul Calibur?" Kilik asked once she was finished speaking.

"I don't know, but that what the woman clamed it to be. Why, do you know of the sword?"

Her question was answered by Xianghua, "Know of it, we have seen it. I've held it and wielded it. It was my mother's sword and I fought with it." Xianghua shock her head when Alexa asked her where it was, "I don't know it was lost to me after the battle with Inferno."

"But surely you could answer me this, why did it come to the future to save me?"

"The question should be why Soul Edge would go to the future and target your family in the first place." Maxi said.

They all went silent as they pondered this. Finally, Seong Mi-na said, "I don't know about all of you, but it's to early for me to think strait enough to understand any of this." She turned to Kilik; "Maybe it would be best if we saved the rest of this conversation when everyone is more a wake."

"And we've all had something to eat." Yun-seong muttered.

Kilik nodded, "Your right." He paused to look up at the sky and then returned his attentions to Alexa. "All right, this is the plan. Talim and Xianghua will take you to the healer, while Seong Mi-na and Yun-seong is off getting supplies. Maxi and I are going up to the palace to see if we can arrange an audience with the princess. I've seen a lot of soldiers moving up and down this road, and it seems to me that they are preparing to leave soon and if we are to give her what help we can, we had better make our presents known to her soon." He looked at everyone with seriousness. "We'll meet back here by noon."

Everyone separated then, it was clear to Alexa that they had done this sort of thing many a time as the scrambled to do their thing. Xianghua hugged Kilik and Maxi both, and then told them all to be careful as she grabbed Alexa shoulder and steered her to the dusty road. Seong Mi-na said something quickly to Kilik and then ran after Yun-seong who was already six good strides away. Talim was waving her hands at Alexa and Xianghua and then pointed down the road. When they reached her she asked, "Isn't that the building over there?"

"Lets go and find out." Xianghua answered and gestured for her to lead the way.

The streets were extremely busy and crowded. Several times, Xianghua and Alexa lost sight of Talim and then they would find her waiting for them; she seemed to know when she needed to wait for them. Kilik was right about their being a lot of soldiers; ever so often, people would clear the road and a group of armored men would come marching down the road, once in a while a man would break from his ranks and enter into an armor shop or weaponry shop and come out with supplies. Xianghua made to comment that this was defiantly not the day to be a looking to purchase a weapon or armor for they were clearing out all the shops fast. When they reached the healer's shop it was packed full of soldiers and they were clearing of shelves at a time and shoving potions and herbs in sacks. There was an older lady that stood behind the main counter yelling at the soldiers,

"Be careful with that, you poison yourself! Hey you idiot, yeah you with the funny beard, don't handle that with your bare hands! Hey, don't break that! You all better be keeping track of what your taking, or I'll charge you all more than you can pay!" A well-armored man walked up to her and bowed his head.

"Lady Emma, Princess Hildegard von Krone guaranteed that all shop keepers would be well paid for their troubles and for the supplies that were taken."

"I know that Captain Medwin, money isn't the problem. But would you please tell your men to stop man handling the things that they are not suppose to take and would you kindly tell them to be careful with the some of those potions while you are at it." The captain bowed his head again and the turned to his men and started barking orders at them. Xianghua led Alexa and Talim to the counter as the woman started rearranging some potions on the back shelf.

"Excuse me, miss." Xianghua said politely.

"Sorry, I'm not open today."

"It's all right Xianghua, I'm alright and she seems too busy." Alexa whispered to Xianghua, but she ignored her.

"We are not here to buy anything. We just need a healer for our friend here. We'll pay any price you ask."

Lady Emma turned to us to repeat the same response, but when she saw me her eyes went wide she gasped saying, "Good god girl, you look like you've been run over by a crazed war horse."

_What? Do I really look that bad._

"See, know you know why I wanted you to see a healer so bad." Xianghua whispered back to her. "Though I think she is over stating it a bit. You just look like someone who has been in a fight and lost, that's all."

"Come, come, to the back room."

We fallowed her as she led us around the counter and into a back room where several beds where a lined in a row.

_Kind of like what hospitals have._

"Here sit on one of these." She gestured to the beds. "Your luck you know, I was able to sneak some herbs back here before they came." She went to a shelf and stared pulling herbs from it.

Alexa sat on the closest bed.

"So tell me, have you any pain?"

"No, just num soreness."

"Your bruises, have they swelled or done anything strange of late?"

"I haven't noticed."

Lady Emma nodded and began mashing the herbs together.

"Has she got any fever?"

Talim put a hand of Alexa's forehead, "No."

"Have you been getting sick recently?"

"What does getting sick have anything to do with bruises and cuts?"

"Nothing, but this stuff smells awful and if your queasy I would like to know so I can stand back while I'm applying this stuff to your bruises."

Lady Emma was right too, after a while the three companions began to smell the stuff. It smelt to Alexa, like rotten eyes and something else that wasn't pleasant, but Alexa couldn't think how to describe it.

"Alright, it ready." Lady Emma announced after about five minutes and she walked over to Alexa.

"Ok, I'm going to spread this stuff. It will help with the soreness and keep your bruises from swelling and becoming worse. Also, it will speed up the healing process."

Alexa held her nose and looked up at the woman with raised eyebrows.

"Uh… are you sure that stuff works?"

"Yeah, it's works. Why would I be giving it to you if it doesn't?"

_Because you don't know what you're doing._ Alexa thought to herself as Lady Emma plastered the smelly stuff on her face.

"Don't worry, in about two hours, I'll be removing this stuff for you and you won't smell like the stuff, I promise." She then covered her arms, legs, and back with the stuff and set the stuff down, away from all of them.

_Good grief, I smell like cesspool woman now._

"So what else is wrong with you?"

"Her leg…" Xianghua began, but she interrupted her.

"Say no more." Lady Emma bent down and examined Alexa's leg.

"Hmmmm… well, there is really nothing I can do. All that can be done is for you to try to work it back in, by walking on it as much as possible. I can give you some herbs to dull the pain."

Before Alexa could say anything, Lady Emma was already up and grabbing herbs from the shelf again.

"Don't worry, this stuff won't smell bad."

Two hours later, the nasty smelling stuff was removed and Lady Emma declared that Alexa would be fine and she handed Alexa a sack of the herb medicine for her leg, telling her how and when to use the stuff. When Xianghua inquired about payment Lady Emma shrugged it off.

"Do not worry about it young miss. I'm about to me paid well soon by the Princess Hildegard and I would rather not have too much money floating about in my shop. It becomes to much for thieves to resist."

"Thank you, Lady Emma."

"Do me a favor though, when you ever meet anyone who is in need of a healer, direct them to me, ya."

"We shall." Xianghua was about to say something more, but her words were drowned out, by sudden screams that were coming from outside.

"What in hell's fire is that." Lady Emma cried. Xianghua and Talim was already out the back room and was moving to the door to the outside, by the time Alexa stood up and made it to the counter. The soldiers where long gone and outside people were running past, some screaming, some crying and total chaos was taking place as soldiers ran past to the trouble, but then was seen running away when they caught sight of what it was. Xianghua's nameless sword was out of its sleeve and she gripped the hilt tightly and Talim's Elbow Blades were at the ready. Xianghua turned to her friend and nodded to her. Talim nodded back, nervously, but with determination, and they pushed the door open and were out before Alexa could get to them.

Alexa stood in the doorway and watched as the two female warriors stood in the middle of the road and turned in the direction from which everyone was running from. Alexa then watched as shock and panic entered Xianghua's face and she sprinted forward.

"Xianghua wait." Talim called after her.

"That's were Kilik and Maxi is." Xianghua cried back and she kept running.

Talim shock her head, clearing her nerves, and then ran after her friend, crying to the sky, "Wind give me speed."

"Wait a minute, what's going on?" Alexa cried after them and tried to go after them, but she fell to the ground as her leg screamed in protest from too much stress on it. But Alexa refuse to let it hold her back this time as she stood up to see what it was that people ran from and what had her new friends run forward in a panic. When she saw what it was her heart nearly stopped.

* * *

"Damn it!" Rosamond said suddenly.

"(What is the matter?)" Sigmund asked her sister.

"Can't you feel it, that pressure, the presents?"

Imp and Sigmund looked at her questioningly.

"It's Soul Edge, it's near." Rosamond grabbed a hold of the reins and made her horse pick up speed.

"Rosamond, Soul Edge, what do you mean it's near? Where is it?" Imp asked as him and Sigmund too made their horses pick up speed.

"Imp, it's attacking Wolfkrone, I know it. I've felt the evil pressure for a long time, but it just now suddenly got stronger. Come on, we must hurry. Wolfkrone is just over in that valley over there."

It was then they saw it, the beautiful castle of the Krones being swallowed up by a wall of fire…

* * *

And it was then that Alexa realized she was in over her head.

_NO, this can't be happening! This is impossible! IMPOSSIBLE!_

Alexa grabbed her face as tears began to fall down her face.

_I can't do this anymore! All this insanity!_

Alexa looked up at the wall of flames and watched as it collapsed one of the castle's glorious towers.

_My friends… my friends are in trouble…and I'm too cowardly to do anything._

_"I don't think you are a coward."_ Mike's words rang in her head.

_Mike you are a fool to think otherwise._

_"Hey, Alexa, have you ever considered taking some fighting lessons, like boxing."_

_I'm not the combating type, Mike._

_"Why not? It would be so cool if you could, no one would bother us again. You might even be able to teach those guys a lesson."_

_These are not you ever day bullies, Mike._

_"I don't think you are a coward."_

_You're a fool._

Alexa breathe a sigh and looked up. People were running past still, but in fewer numbers. Alexa grabbed a hold of her crutch and lifted herself from the ground, unsteadily. And she turned to join the one who ran away, but then she stopped as something caught her eye. It was a giant sword, very plain in it's design across the street from her. Alexa limped over to it and looked at it.

_Must have been left by a soldier that made a run for it._

Alexa shock her head.

_Alexa, get a grip on yourself and get going!_

But she didn't, instead, she lowered herself and picked it up from the ground. The sword wasn't as heavy as she expected.

So, there is a warrior in you after all, you just need to get to know her that's all. Now, it's time you get to meet her and let her out. Came a powerful woman's voice. Alexa looked sharply around for the source of the voice, but no one was there, only herself.

_Ok, now I officially believe myself to be crazy._

Alexa made to stand back up, but her leg screamed at her again and she fell back down.

"Fine!" Alexa grabbed the medicine Lady Emma gave her and rubbed it on her leg. "There are you happy? Can I go now?"

Alexa stood up sharply out of anger and to her surprise her leg did not protest this.

_Wow, miracle much._

Alexa stepped back and put all her weight on the leg. It didn't hurt, but she could fell tightness in her leg that wasn't pleasant. She smiled pleased, until she realized she was still gripping the large sword in her hand. Alexa throw it on the ground and growled at it. It was then, in the corner of her eye, she saw the movement coming from the alleyway between the healer's place and another shop.

"Who's there?" Alexa demanded.

Then out from the shadows she saw Lady Emma.

"Huh, Lady Emma you scared me. What are you still doing…" But Alexa stopped mid-sentence when she the look in her unblinking eyes. They were distant, empty and lifeless. That is when she noticed the scaly claw that was rapped around her neck and then the bloody ax that was in a scaly and inhuman claw. Lady Emma dropped to the ground in a pile of flesh and behind her stood with brown and red skin, red eyes, with armor, and wielding an ax and shield was a…

"A liz… LIZARD!" Alexa exclaimed and she stepped back as fear hit her hard. It was big as a full grown man and it eyed her hungrily, tilting it's head from side to side. Other lizard came out of the alleyway, ten or eleven of them and they looked around excitedly. Three of them spotted the corps of Lady Emma and went to her and began to tare into her flesh, blood spewing everywhere.

_NO, I can't let them do that to her._

"HEY, STOP IT! YOU HEAR!" At this, the first lizard charge at her, it's ax raised high. Alexa slid out of the way when the ax came down where her skull had been. She grabbed the giant sword in desperation and raised it above her head to block another blow to her head, and with her body she reflected the monster away from her as the lizard's comrades started jumping up and down in excitement, cheering their lizard commander on. The monster growled at her in lizard and charged at her again, this time aiming lower and again Alexa blocked and reflected the blow, but this time Alexa aimed to slice the monster's head of its shoulders. But the Lizard was too fast for her; it blocked her attempt with its shield and then kicked her in the face, sending her flying backwards into a wall. She heard what sound like laughed coming from the monsters that surround her; she saw them lick their lips in anticipation of this meal as their leader stepped up and kicked her once, then twice causing her to fall to the ground. Alexa tried to get up, but another monster pined her down with its foot, as their leader made a victory lap around its soon to be victim. Then, abruptly, out of nowhere it seemed, Alexa heard what sound like a crack of a wipe and the lizard that held her down fell to the ground screaming. Horrified by this sudden occurrence, she moved away from the withering monster and stared at it as it twisted in pain. Then it stopped scream. All the monsters turned their heads in furry to see who it was whom tock down their comrade and Alexa did as well and yet again found herself in shock.

_It's the crazy lady from before, the stranger from the inn. What's she doing here?_

* * *

_Hum, the girl looks like she about to faint, how quaint._

Ivy surveyed the situation with cold eyes and removed her black clock from her back and tossed it to the side.

_This won't even be fun._

To the girl she added, "You girl, run when I tell you."

The girl looked at Ivy, defiantness flashed a cross her eyes, but she nodded without a word. Then one of the lizards charged Ivy wildly, swing its ax around above its head.

_Impatient aren't we._ And Ivy's sword, in wipe form, came up and sent the lizard flying in a tight spin and she charged the others, swing her weapon left and right. Cutting down her enemies in a frenzy of sparks and blood. One lizard got to close to her back and the girl went to try and stop it, but Ivy had taken care of the creature before she even was able to pick up the sword.

When Ivy was sure the battle was far enough for the girl to escape, she shouted for the girl to go. The girl nodded shouting back, "Thank you," and then the girl went running the wrong way, right for the castle.

"Where the hell are you going?"

But was out of ears shot by then.

_Damn it!_

On of the lizards, went to all fours and roar at her in lizard, its tongue moving madly. "O shut up you cur!" and she snapped its bottom jaw with her foot.

* * *

Alexa ran with all her might, pain and anguish her body felt was not felt by her heart and mind for she pushed on, unrelenting. She didn't know where she was going or what she would do when she got there, but her heart kept screaming for her to do something. The people she made friends were there, somewhere, in trouble and no matter how cowardly she was, she always help a friend in need. Even when common sense screamed at her how stupid it was, she always needed to do something. But it wasn't always just friends that Alexa defended and in fact that was how she always ended up making friends, defending complete strangers.

_But I don't know how to fight. All the times, I've ever been in a fight, I always did what I call the "duck and duck" type of fighting and I always had to run in the end._

Alexa paused in her thinking to look up at the wall of fire.

_And what is to be done about that thing?_

The castle was nearly devoured by the wall of fire and the flames were beginning to spread to the village.

_I'll think of something, I have to._

_"Don't worry about the flames."_ It was the powerful woman's voice again.

_What the… how… who…_

_"Worry about the people. I'll be taking care of the flames. I'll be here shortly."_

Then the voice was gone. Alexa pushed her curiosity away and kept run, she didn't have the time to figure out what the voice was all about.

* * *

Note to reader: I'm sorry to all those who liked Lizardman and I kind of liked Lizardman too, but it was easier this way. Anyways, back in chapter five I had stated that I wanted to incorporate all of the Soul Calibur characters, but I'm afraid that that idea has now gone down the drain. So, if you have a Soul Calibur character that you really… REALLY want to see in my story tell me and I'll see what I can do, but tell me quick or I'll get to a point that I can't do anything with it. Also I would like you to tell me if you would like to see the character live or die. Thanks.


	11. Chapter 11: The Battle has Begun

Author's note: Wow sorry about that… time sure does fly. Here is chapter 11.

Enjoy!

* * *

When Alexa reached the silver gates to castle's rounds it was not a pleasant sight to behold. The castle, by now, was completely in golfed in flames and these flames were beginning to spread to the town. There was people seen running around frantically trying to put the fire out as on the other side a battle was taking place between more of those lizard things and any other human who could lift a sword. To the side of the battle, many wounded was seen just lying there with few people to assist them. There was an only about nine to ten person who stood over the wounded, doing their best to help them. Alexa ran over to the group with the wounded, deciding she was best able to help them then fight and if she tried to help with the fire she would just get in the way. Besides they had enough people.

As she reached the wounded, a girl who didn't look much older than Alexa, stood up with a knife in her hands and a wild fearful look in her eyes. She held her knife at the ready as Alexa approached and shouted a warning to Alexa in German, stopping Alexa in her tracks. Alexa held up her free hand and said,

"It's alright I'm here to help."

The girl didn't say anything back, she just eyed the giant sword in her hand warily.

"It's alright," Alexa said again, sticking the end of the sword down into the dirt, "I'm here to help."

The girl eyed the weapon one more time, and then she motioned for Alexa to come closer, letting her knife fall to her side. When Alexa did, she pointed to the man who lay before them, who was bleeding from a wound on his head, and the girl gave Alexa a bloody towel.

"Put towel on head," the girl tried to say in English, but was having a hard time of it, "Keep… pressure… help stop bleeding… I need to get… powder."

Alexa nodded to the girl to let her know she understood, and did as she was asked, as the girl ran to get whatever powder she was talking about. The man wasn't unconscious, but was very weak. "Every things going to be alright." Alexa said trying to soothe the dieing man. He tried to speak, but Alexa shushed him. "Do not speak, save your energy."

"Why are you being such a goody-goody?" Asked a gleeful voice that seem to pierce the air, which startled Alexa so much she about cried out. Standing over her was the scariest and craziest looking seventeen year old girl Alexa ever layed eyes on. She had dark brown hair that was pulled up into pigtails and she wore an outfit that Alexa would have said was a poor excuse for clothing and held in fornt of herself, she held a giant ring blade that gave Alexa the creeps.

"Besides, there is nothing you can do for him. I suggest you worry about me."

"Who are you?" Alexa asked, but she kept the pressure on the man's forehead and did not show any signs of moving. The strange girl just laughed; a very girlish laugh, but that didn't fool Alexa. She had seen to many of her kind when her father worked at the insane asylum. She had madness sketched all over her face.

"Tira. What's yours?"

"Alexa," She said quietly and Tira laughed again.

"What do you want?"

"Oooooo it's not what I want that matters, it's what my master wants."

"Master?"

"Yes, he's been very anxious to meet you, but we had a few difficulties getting to you. But thanks to this little distraction I'm finally able to get close to you enough to escort you to him."

"What do you mean by 'little distraction'?"

"You see that?" She waved her hand at the battle and the burning castle, "This all for you. We needed a way to get to you with out those little so-called heroes getting in the way. My master doesn't want to cause to much of a fuse over you, you see, and alerting them to how important you are." Tira giggle when she saw the rage and dismay on Alexa's face. "What's wrong, aren't you flattered to know that my master believes you to be important?"

"What does your master want with me? Who is he?" Alexa asked in a rage and Alexa had to fight the urge to stand up and attack her. The man was still there bleeding to death and she had to stay there until that girl came back or else allow the guy to die, which was not an option in Alexa's mind. For now she needed to keep Tira busy.

"O I think you know." Tira said playfully.

"No I don't, how could I."

"Yes you do."

"No I don't."

I was then that Tira slapped herself on the head and growled.

"Stop arguing with me; your being to annoy me." Something had totally changed about her. Her voice was much deeper and she had a more murderous look on her face then before.

O great, not only is she psycho, she has multiple personality disorder.

Tira growled again and she stopped her foot into the ground in frustration.

The more I stay around her, the more in danger I become. The wise thing to do would be to take off, but I can't leave this man here. O please, please, someone assist me with this.

"Well, if you don't come I'll be happy to drag you."

"I'll come, but could you answer me this, what does your master want with me?"

"I'm not sure exactly, he said something about you having HIS blood, and your body and soul might be worth having close by, or something like that, I don't understand any of it anyways… as far as I'm concern your look useless…" Tira started to mutter angrily to herself and Alexa watched her wary, not liking how she began to act; Tira fiddling with her ring blade and the dark looks Alexa was getting from her. It was only when, in the corner of Alexa's eye, she saw the girl from before returning did Alexa let go of the man's forehead and slowly move away.

Now that she back, I need to move as far away as I can from them so if this breaks into a fight they won't get hurt.

"Don't you even think of running away. I will have you crawling on your knee before you even get a step away."

"No of course not, I was only standing up so that I may fallow you to where ever you are to take me."

"Ha, I know what you are trying to do." And she made a swing for the wounded man, but before either Alexa or Tira knew it, Alexa had grabbed the ring blade and twisted way just in time, the weapon cutting Alexa's hands in the process.

"Please, if it's true that it's me you want, leave him alone." Alexa pleaded as Tira tried to shake Alexa's grip on the ring blade. Tira growled again, but did not try to attack another time.

"My orders were to take you to my master."

"Then take me, I am yours to do with as you need to, but leave them alone."

"Then come you useless little girl." Tira, then, grabbed Alexa by the shirt and began dragging her away. Alexa kept to her part of the bargain and did not struggle and did as she was told. Strangle enough Alexa was allowed to get her weapon and bring it with her.

"My master likes to play with his food." Tira had said, this time in her girlish voice. This kind of unnerved Alexa a bit.

* * *

Before Sigmund, Rosamond, and Imp knew it, they were found themselves at a sight of a battlefield. Rosamond was the first to jump off her horse and was running to the sound of metal clashing with metal, followed by Sigmund and Imp. With sword and spear in hand she sliced the first lizard she came to. "There so many of these damned things."

"(O god, do you think Alexa is somewhere in this mess?)" Sigmund asked in German, then with a war cry he slid his giant sword into the belly of another foe.

"(We must worry about that later. For know let us just push our way to the castle and lend them a hand down there.)"

"O man, this really bites." Imp complained as four more lizards came at them, waving their axes in a frenzy.

"Stop complaining." Rosamond roared and she lifted her spear, throws it, and struck a lizard with it, sending it flying backwards.

* * *

"Hilde."

Hilde stepped away from the battle and turned to the young Athenian girl, Cassandra.

"Your father is secure as promised. My sister is out there, I can feel it…" She said, but Hilde waved her hand for silence.

"Do not worry, a deals a deal. I've already ordered my generals to keep a look out for your sister and if anyone of them spots her they will report back to me. Besides, as you have learned, I know what it's like to lose a family member to Soul Edge."

Cassandra nodded, "Thank you."

Princess Hildegard turned her attention back to the battle that was only several feet away.

"However, wouldn't it be better if you were the one to find her?"

Cassandra lifted her sword and shield in response.

"I sure hope you know how to use those things." Hilde said.

"You have no idea." Cassandra answered and they both charged into the battle.

* * *

Amongst the battle that tock place in the shadow of what was left of the castle, to Xianghua it seemed like they were beginning to win or at least the beasts were starting to get fewer in number anyways. But, she had never faced so many enemies in such a short time before, so she really couldn't tell if they were winning or not. These lizard things swarmed around Xianghua and her friends like bees to honey. Luckily they had escaped harm for now, but the battle was become more and more desperate it seemed. Xianghua paused for a moment to dare a quick glance in her friends' directions. Kilik and Maxi fought enemies to the left of her, Talim was at her side, and she could just make out Seong Mi-na and Yun-seong to her far right. They seemed to all be doing well. Xianghua lifted her hand to her brow and wiped the sweat from it.

I'm not sure how much longer we can keep this up.

Then, suddenly, monstrous laughter came from deep with in the army of lizards and all of the lizards before her began to retreat. Xianghua dared a second glance at her companions and she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the look on Maxi's and Kilik's faces.

They've seen something they don't like.

The creatures were now cleared away, to where now all that was left was the human combatants. Most of them were staring at the receding army dumb founded by this sudden turn of events. It was then when Xianghua saw him. It was the giant that guarded Ostrheinsburg Castle, the one that Maxi stayed behind and fought that day when they stormed the place. The one Maxi had a personally gruge on.

In the corner of Xianghua's eyes, she saw Maxi made to charge the monster, but Kilik was quick in holding him back as the monster appeared before them. Xianghua sighed.

Great, this is going to get messy.


	12. Chapter 12: Plan Reviled

Author's Note: Here is Chapter 12, Enjoy and I need some review about this chapter, because there are a few things that are reviled in this chapter and I would like to know your reactions to them.

"I can't wait to see you in pieces!" Tira laughed as she pushed Alexa to the ground. "When master realizes how useless you are, I'll have such fun tearing you limb from limb."

_Great what have I gotten myself into this time?_

Tira had taken Alexa a great distance from the castle, the sounds of the battle was now muffled by the sounds of the surrounding forest. Darkness was beginning to over take them as the gold rays of the sun left the valley for distant shores and Tira showed no signs of stopping.

"Come on." She grabbed Alexa's arm with an iron grip, pulled her to her feet, and began dragging her through the trees put a great distance between them and the road.

"You know, I might be able to move faster if you let go of my arm."

"Shut up." Tira growled, clearly changing personalities, "Or I'll cut your tongue out, I'm sure my master won't be needing that."

Alexa gulped and nodded, saying no more.

"The river shouldn't be far." Tira said, more to herself then to Alexa.

"Well, well if it isn't the servant of Soul Edge." Came a familiar voice from the shadows.

_It's that lady again. How in the world is she able to just show up like that?_

Ivy stepped out of the shadows, her strange weapon out and ready.

"You." Tira growled and she throw a horizontal attack at Ivy. Ivy reflected the attack easily.

"You girl, tell me what does Nightmare want with you?" Ivy asked of Alexa while evading another blow from Tira.

_Nightmare? O, that must be Tira's master._

"I… don't know." Alexa faltered as she backed up to a tree, putting herself out of the way of the new battle.

_For the love for all that is good, when is all of this fighting going to end?_

"Tell me where is your family's origins, where were you born?" Ivy asked after throwing Tira into a tree.

"What does that have anything to do with anything?"

"Would you two just shut up! In less of course you want to die a slow and painful death." Tira charged Ivy again, but Ivy's sword made around her neck and sent her flying once more away from Ivy.

"Just answer the question." Ivy snapped.

"I was born in the U.S., but you wouldn't know what…"

"Did your family always live there, in this U.S. for which you speak?"

"Well, I guess technically no, most people's families came to America from other country during the colonization period."

"And your family?" Ivy asked impatiently.

"Well, my dad's family was from England…"

"And your mother's?"

"What does this have to do…"

"Just answer the question!"

"I don't know, ok… I never asked…"

"What's your mother's maiden name?"

"What?"

"Her maiden name, are you deaf?"

"It's Schtauffen, is it not?" Tira stood, a devilish grin played on her face as she said the name. Ivy narrowed her eyes.

"Yeah, I believe that's the correct way of saying it. How did you know that and what is so important about it anyways?" But they were ignoring her now. They were to busy staring each other down.

"What does Soul Edge want with her?" Ivy demanded.

"What do you think? What other use would there be for a great great great granddaughter of Siegfried Schtauffen? The body for which my master is using right now won't be able to withstand the power much longer. Only Siegfried's body was strong enough to hold such power, but thanks to Soul Calibur Soul Edge can never again take control of him. So if my master cannot have Siegfried, then a direct descendent is the next best option. She might even be a better choose then Siegfried, for she lacks the discipline that made it so hard for Soul Edge to take over Siefried's body and keep it in the first place. Even better the influence that Soul Calibur had on Siegfried and his future descendents ends with her. She has no trace of Soul Calibur in her body or soul which makes her perfect, yet she still has all the qualities that made Siegfried perfect for Soul Edge. Or so my master believes. However, if my master finds her to be weak then I get the pleasure of killing her."

Alexa flinced as Tira gave her a bloodthirsty look.

_I don't know what she's talking about, but I don't like a word of it. I need to get away._

"But I won't worry about it," Tira continued, "You won't be able to do anything about it, because you'll be busy rotting here…"

That's when Alexa made a run for it. She tightened her grip on the sword she had now gotten a custom to, turned on her heels, and sprinted across the forest floor.


	13. Chapter 13: Soul Calibur

Author's Note: What can I say, but enjoy!

Alexa ran until she couldn't run any more. She found herself collapsing in the middle of nowhere surrounded by gloom and darkness. The moon was no comfort, the wind bitter cold , and the sounds of rustling leaves and snapping of twigs unnerved her.

Alexa crawled to a tree and surveyed her surroundings as she tried to warm her body. There wasn't anything to see of course. No path she could take, no sign of human life, no sign of anything that could direct her to a better place. Alexa sighed, pulled her sword where it blocked the chilly wind, and put her head on her knees, folding her arms around her legs.

_There you are._

Alexa pulled her head up sharply and looked around for the owner of the voice. Then she realized it was that voice from the battle, the one in her head.

_Stay there, _It said,_ we are nearly there. _

Alexa moaned, "Go away! I am not crazy… so, go away stupid voice in my head!"

_Just wait a little longer. Everything will be explained. _

"I said, GO AWAY!"

"Who's there?"

Alexa was startled to hear a voice from the outside and before she even knew it she was up, her sword up and pointing at the neck of the new comer. He was a rather tall man, with long blond hair and crystal armor. On his back, shined the object for which Alexa sought: Soul Calibur. Alexa faltered, but she did not drop her weapon.

When Alexa regained her sense she demanded, "Who are you?"

He regarded her then answered, "I'd ask the same of you."

Then he grabbed her blade and effortlessly pushed it to the side, nearly making Alexa drop it. Alexa blinked in surprise and then glared up at the stranger.

"You know I really don't care who you are, just give me Soul Calibur."

"And why do you think I'm just going to hand it over to you?"

"Because if you don't I'll… take it from you… forcibly…" Alexa hesitated, but tried not letting him know she was bluffing. With no success.

"What quarrel do you have with me?"

The question stunned Alexa. "Uh… well… uhm… It's nothing personal it's just that I need the sword to get home."

"You can't just get a ride home?"

"I'm afraid it doesn't work that way."

"Could you explain to me why not?"

Alexa shock her head violently. "No… just give me Soul Calibur. I don't want to fight, but I will if I have to. I want to go home and that's that. You can have it back after."

"I'm sorry child, but I cannot part with Soul Calibur until Soul Edge is destroyed."

He turned his back on her and began to walk away.

"Hey, don't walk away from me!" Alexa yelled and she had aimed her weapon at the back of the stranger. She was fairly quick, but he was quicker. There was a ringing sound and a shower of sparks as Soul Calibur and Alexa's sword came together.

"Attack someone from behind? Have you no honor?"

"Honor is for fools who don't care if they live or die!"

Alexa tried knocking him back with all her strength, but instead he pushed her back. Alexa stumble, but she recovered quickly and throw her weapon at him again. This time she about got him, but he dodge her.

"Just give Soul Calibur to me!"

Their swords clashed again, this time Alexa's weapon nearly flew out of her hand. The stranger pulled back then tried knocking her feet from underneath her with his foot, but Alexa just jumped back. She could tell he was holding back, and that made her angrier. In the back of her head she couldn't believe all of this was happening: the sudden urge to fight and this anger that suddenly escalated from her. She wasn't even sure why she was angry. Maybe it was more or less frustration then anger, or maybe it was just her fear and desperation that drove her to attack this stranger. She didn't know and, at that point, she didn't care. Their weapons came together again, however this time they locked together; Alexa trying to push back the one in her way and he held his ground.

Suddenly, the crystals on Soul Calibur began to shine more brightly, blinding Alexa, and then they quickly began to expand and wrap themselves around Alexa's sword and then to her hands and wrist. Panicked, Alexa tried to pull away, but neither her sword nor her hands would budge.

_Calm down._

It was that voice again, but this time it wasn't coming from inside her head; it was coming from Soul Calibur.

_You must._

Alexa raised her eyebrows, "Uh ok, I'm not sure which is worse: having a voice in my head or having a sword talking to me."

Alexa looked up at the stranger; he appeared perfectly calm about the whole talking sword thing.

_You must calm down, panicking never helped anyone. _

"Easy for you to say, Ms. Talking Sword, instead of being back home studying for a Physics test, I'm stuck running for my life from things that shouldn't even be scientifically possible! I mean lizards that walk and act like a human, who comes up with this stuff, really!"

The stranger gave her an odd look, but she ignored him.

_I understand your frustration…_

"I don't think you do! If you did you would have sent me home by now! What was the point of bring me here anyways?"

_It was not I who brought you here. Soul Edge is responsible for this and because it was what brought you here, it is the only thing that could send you back as long as it still has power over you. _

_Soul Edge… _Alexa gulped as she thought about the atrocious weapon, the weapon that made her mother go crazy and may have killed her father.

The crystals receded and Alexa's sword fell to the ground with a thud. The stranger set Soul Calibur in the ground between the two of them and watched Alexa closely.

"So, Soul Edge is the only thing that can help me." Alexa's eyes clouded over as she made the statement.

_Not entirely child, there may be another way._

"But you just said…"

_Yes, Soul Edge is the only thing that could, at this time, have the power to send you home. However, there is the possibility that once Soul Edge is destroyed I may gain enough power from its destruction to send you home myself. I will not lie to you though, this may not be true. _

"I'm guessing then, the is a chance that once Soul Edge is destroyed I may never go home."

There was no response from Soul Calibur.

"As I figured," Alexa sighed and picked up her weapon from the cold earth. "It was nice meeting you and thanks for the information." She turned then and began to walk away.

"Where are you going?" The stranger asked.

"Where else…" She turned to face the stranger and Soul Calibur, her weapon at her side lay over her shoulder. "I'm going to go ask for Soul Edge's help and not in the nice way either."


End file.
